THE Philippines is no stranger to typhoons, floods and landslides. According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the average number of typhoons that enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility during the last two decades has been around 20 per year.
This is alarming considering that over 42,000 barangays and 1,490 municipalities are prone to flooding. In response to this reality, Atoy Llave of A-toy Bodykits, has launched his latest creation—the Salamander amphibious trike.
The Salamander is the first Filipino-made three-wheeled amphibious flood-utility vehicle produced by H2O Technologies Inc.—a Filipino-owned company known for its design innovation and engineering.
Dubbed as the “Amphitrike”, the Salamander can travel both on land and water. It has two choices of engines: a gasoline-powered 250-cc motor or a 5.0-kW electric motor. In terms of performance, the Salamander can reach a speed on land of up to 80 kilometers per hour and six knots on water. It can haul six passengers on land and four passengers on water. Chief Engr. Lamberto Armada of H2O Technologies said, “The decision was made as a team to build the Salamander with both conventional and electric motors. Although the availability of charging stations is still a concern, we are certain that the future will be in electric vehicles.
David Ong, chairman of H2O Technologies, said, “The country needs to upgrade its drainage facilities and infrastructure [to minimize or prevent flooding], which will take a lot of money and a considerable amount of time. In the meantime, the Salamander can provide mobility even during a flood. It can also be used when the infrastructure issues have been resolved.”
“The launch of the Salamander highlights an exciting time for the Philippines on many fronts,” said Dominic Chung, founder and managing director of H2O Technologies.
“Our main objective is to make the Salamander available in flood-prone places. This is why we are currently in talks with different public and private entities to help us determine where to go next, beyond the first set of targeted barangays,” Llave said.
The initial price range of the Salamander will be from P295,000 to P495,000.