Movem Electric, Inc., an electric mobility solutions provider of Manila Electric Company (Meralco), and Polish infrastructure firm ChargeEuropa have partnered to set up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, Nov. 13, Meralco said that Movem and ChargeEuropa signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which would task its EV firm to install and deploy ChargeEuropa’s charging stations as a way to expand its presence in Asia.

As the first Asian country to have this exclusive partnership, Movem will initially build stations in Metro Manila and possibly extend to other areas within Meralco’s franchise and nationwide.

Matt Tymowski, ChargeEuropa chief executive officer, said that the firm decided to start its EV station fleet in the Philippines due to its renewable energy (RE) goal.

“We chose this market because we strongly believe in the potential of the Philippine EV industry and market. We see that EV charging is becoming a growing and very significant part of mobility in the country,” he said.

Raymond Ravelo, Movem’s president and CEO, equated the company’s vision with its Polish partner, stating, “Our vision in Movem to drive a highly electrified, emissions-free Philippine transport sector is brought to life through partnerships with like-minded institutions such as ChargeEuropa. Ultimately, our thrust and goal is to bring world class EV solutions not only to our clients but also to the wider public.”

Ferdinand O. Geluz, Meralco’s senior vice president and Movem chairman, also believed that this collaboration would provide growth for both companies in providing and promoting the expansion of eco-friendly vehicles in the country.

“Meralco, through Movem, has long since looked into the EV industry and aided in the transition together with the regulators and advocates with the industry like the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP). We're planting the seeds. It's about time that we really grow together with partners,” he said.

ChargeEuropa, which was established in 2018, has deployed ad-display chargers which combine EV charging and ad space through LED screens.

Additionally, this joint venture is part of Meralco’s support of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) as it would provide end-to-end EV and charging solutions to its consumers and motorists.

Meanwhile, Movem’s promotion of sustainable operations has also been reflected in its previous partnership with local mattress firm Uratex Group. This collaboration has allowed them to integrate EV-based logistics.