EDITORS DESK
It’s amazing how so much can change in the span of just a few months. The crisis in the middle east has only hammered home the point of just how vulnerable and volatile fossil fuel prices can be. Thankfully, the wide availability of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids has allowed many to at least browse and learn about the alternatives if not make the shift entirely.
Those that did shop around are now becoming aware of the many benefits these vehicles offer, besides just the cheaper fuel costs and coding exemption. Suffice to say, many of the hindrances to electrified vehicle adoption (most of which were purely psychological) are beginning to fall.
For most, this change is often observed in the number of new electrified cars on the road. For me, the change in mindset is obvious just by the number of queries I get from friends and relatives. Having been in this industry for some decades, I’ve suddenly become the de-facto expert in my immediate circle. Still, there are a few things walls that still remain, and we should look toward tearing them down to better enjoy a greener mobility future.
The bias against Chinese cars
Formerly one of the biggest hurdles against EV adoption, this obstacle is slowly being torn down these days. Many times, my friends would begin with, “What’s the best EV or hybrid that’s not a Chinese brand?” While there are some options already available, they often do not agree with the budget they have in mind. Thankfully, a cursory look at the traffic landscape (and a few video reviews) are already starting to convince many that many Chinese electrified cars come in competitive prices, with lots of tempting features as standard, and improving reliability and service.
Charging in the condo
This next wall is one that’s a little harder to overcome. Many of the younger friends and relatives in my circle are already ready to make the leap to a full EV. However, it’s their condo admin that’s the bigger problem as installing a charger in their parking spot is still banned in many high rises.
There are ways around it as one friend managed to score a great deal on a second-hand EV by foregoing the inclusion of a wall charger in his purchase. He thankfully works near a charger that is usually available (and still free). Another relative has unfortunately had to opt for a hybrid as convincing his condo admin seems like a losing battle.
One friend is fighting the good fight with his condo. He works with a Korean brand that sells EVs and has been actively petitioning his admin to change their mind on this policy. He is volunteering his expertise and is drawing a roadmap for the standards and safety procedures for his condo admin to follow for future requests by other tenants to install a charger.
Coding exemption uncertainty
Easily one of the biggest reasons many have made the shift to electrified is the number coding exemption these cars enjoy. Unfortunately, it’s not forever. The number coding exemption is currently only until 2028. This is why many who bought one are still holding on to their former daily-driver ICE car as a back-up or are considering a possible EV ‘coding car.’
Unfortunately, the solution for this one is not cut and dry. On one hand, extending it will greatly encourage more electrified vehicle purchases in the years to come. However, in just a few short years, our cities might be inundated with all these EVs on the road, taking up valuable road space and contributing to traffic just as ICEs once did. Perhaps a hard termination date is necessary to maintain traffic flow on our already overflowing roads. Nonetheless, that may simply give birth to the ‘coding car’ solution to get around the coding like we’ve seen before.
Nonetheless, it’s encouraging to see that many apprehensions and biases against electrified vehicles are starting to disappear. We’re already on the right track toward a more sustainable mobility sector.
(Iñigo S. Roces is the editor of Manila Bulletin’s Motoring section)