Scooter and battery-swapping technology coming to PH
There could be a new electric scooter revolution on the horizon. Globe’s 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation are set to bring global two-wheel electric vehicle and battery-swapping technology leader Gogoro to the Philippines.
Gogoro is a smart mobility scooter brand from Asia that boasts of over 11,000 battery swapping stations at more than 2,260 locations in its home country, called GoStations. This fully-electric scooter brand makes use of battery-swapping technology to allow users to conveniently change their scooter’s depleted battery with a fully charged one and continue their journey.
917Ventures hopes to start its pilot project in Metro Manila in Q1 2023. Under the pilot, Gogoro’s Smartscooters will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles currently used by the logistics and last-mile delivery industry. Gogoro Smartscooters are powered by Gogoro’s battery swapping platform through conveniently located swap stations, where users can quickly swap depleted batteries for fully-charged ones in seconds.
Vince Yamat, 917Ventures Managing Director, said the partnership seeks to reduce the use of fossil fuel by the country’s logistics industry which are known to release significantly more emissions per vehicle per day than consumer riding.
“We are committed to help address the climate crisis by introducing Gogoro to logistics businesses, helping them in their sustainability efforts. In addition, because of the Swap & Go technology that enables riders to be fully charged in just seconds, we hope Gogoro will also help address hesitations surrounding charging electric vehicles and even finding parking slots. Hopefully, this technology will encourage more Filipinos to switch to EV,” Yamat said.
Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corporation’s Head of Business Development and Innovation, meanwhile, said: “Ayala supports the Department of Energy’s thrust to transition towards cleaner technologies. We are excited to contribute to a high-quality consortium focused on enhancing mobility through sustainable solutions, which aligns with our broader decarbonization and digital transformation ambitions.”
Patrick Aquino, Director of the Department of Energy’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau, said Taiwan has an incredibly high scooter density compared to the rest of the world, and it’s very encouraging to see its positive response to the Gogoro Network.
“More than 25% of their quick commerce deliveries and almost all of their electric deliveries are powered by battery-swapping technology, and we see this solution will be most beneficial to a densely populated region like Metro Manila, which is also the hub of business districts. The success of this pilot will pave the way for a new sustainable business model in other cities in the country as well,” he said, adding that the Philippines can learn from Taiwan’s experience.
Meanwhile, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba noted how the project aligns with the government’s development agenda by supporting both digitalization and climate action. “Our country needs innovative tech-led projects that support climate action. I commend 917Ventures, Globe and the Ayala Corporation for always being at the forefront of change-making initiatives that aim to improve the lives of Filipinos while helping protect the environment,” said Aldaba.
With over 1 million batteries in circulation, the number of GoStations has already surpassed the number of gas stations in its home country’s major cities, making Gogoro battery swapping the de facto standard for electric two-wheel refueling. The Gogoro Network has more than 520,000 riders that perform more than 370,000 battery swaps per day.
“Gogoro is honored to have the support of the Philippine’s Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to kickstart this new smart mobility movement in Manila that utilizes Gogoro’s intelligent battery swapping, a new generation of EV refueling,” said Horace Luke, founder and CEO of Gogoro.
“Through our collaboration with 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation, we are unlocking incredible environmental and sustainability benefits, and introducing new smart mobility efficiencies for businesses by improving how they manage their delivery fleets,” he added.