Electric jeepneys ease Philippines air pollution

[MANILA] The Philippines has launched the largest electric public transport fleet in South-East
Asia with its first commercial franchise of electric jeepneys (e-jeepneys) — an environmentally
friendly version of a popular vehicle originally made from US military jeeps left over from World
War II.

The move, which took place at the beginning of this month (1 March), is being seen as helping
to pave the way for all countries in the region to accelerate their shift to more eco-friendly
mass transport systems.

Other countries in South-East Asia are already working on their own versions of public transport
system that will reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality.  

Singapore, for example, is testing a hydrogen-powered public bus, and is working with German
researchers to develop electric taxis, with the initial prototype expected in 2014. And Thailand
is looking into electric tuk tuks to replace the motor-powered three wheeled vehicles that roam
Bangkok’s busy streets.

Diesel-powered jeepneys are the most popular public transportation in the Philippines, and
have become a symbol of Philippine culture. But, with some 50,000 jeepneys — many of them
widely seen as ‘smoke-belchers’ — on the streets of Metro Manila alone, studies have tagged
them as one of the biggest sources of air pollution in the country.

Now, under a franchise to operate and cover a particular route, a 21-vehicle fleet of e-jeepneys
is plying the streets of a section of the business district of Makati City, the country’s main
financial district, charging the same fare as traditional jeepneys.

"This is the first step towards a long-term solution to the country’s air pollution problems," said
Yuri Sarmiento, chief executive officer of franchise holder, Ejeepney Transport Corp.

The first locally produced e-jeepney was launched in 2008, and started to transport passengers
for free in Makati in 2009.  Red Constantino, director of climate policy at the non-governmental
organisation Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (iCSC), said the group took several
years to get a franchise from the government and commercialise operation.
The iCSC secured funding from the UK government through its South-East Asia Prosperity Fund
to build and operate the first e-jeepney fleet battery swapping station, which Constantino said
is the key to making the operation of e-jeepneys commercially viable.

At the battery station, an e-jeepney goes into a loading bay where the spent battery is taken off
and replaced with a charged one. The entire process takes about ten minutes. A fully charged
jeepney runs for eight hours, and charging batteries can take six to eight hours.

Replacing spent batteries with fully charged ones costs 220 pesos (about US$5) and allows 115
kilometres of travel, according to iCSC.  In comparison, a driver of a diesel-fed jeepney would
have to pay more than 1,200 pesos (more than US$28) to cover the same distance.

Furthermore, according to Constantino, each e-jeepney avoids discharging more than 62

kilogrammes of carbon dioxide exhaust emission each day.

The iCSC is now working to expand the e-jeepney to three other cities and is negotiating with
local governments to provide routes, and entrepreneurs to provide the battery charging
stations.

Sarmiento, Prime. (2012). Electric jeepneys ease Philippines air pollution.

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