THE Department of Energy (DOE) may scrap the planned auction for the second batch of electric-powered tricycles (e-trikes) and possibly replace it with other types of electric vehicles, a top official of the agency said.
“We are looking at it, if we will still pursue [its purchase]. It may no longer be e-trikes,” said DOE Officer in Charge Zenaida Monsada, who added that the next batch could include jeepneys.
The agency has just concluded the first batch of bidding for the supply and delivery of 3,000 e-trikes.
Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd. of Japan and its local partner, BEMAC Electric Transportation Philippines Inc., submitted a bid of P364.17 million. Its financial bid would still have to be cleared by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) before the contract is awarded to them.
The e-trike project is a joint undertaking of the DOE and the ADB. The objective is to replace some 100,000 gasoline-fed tricycles by 2017.
The ADB will provide $300 million for the $504-million project. The government will fund $99 million, while $105 million will come from the Clean Technology Fund.
The e-trike project aims to promote sustainable transport; address the increasing carbon emissions in major cities; and reduce oil dependence of the local transport sector. The project also aims to transform the public tricycle sector and jump-start a new industry in the transport sector.
The DOE was earlier looking at another round of bidding for 17,000 e-trikes within the year.
However, Monsada said the agency has raised concern on the bid price submitted by Uzushio.
“Right now, [Uzushio’s bid] is being evaluated. Their bid exceeds the market price, so what’s happening now is that there are ongoing negotiations to possibly bring down the cost of the lone bidder,”
Monsada said.
Besides, Monsada said, there may not be enough interested takers if the agency is to conduct another round of e-trike bidding. “We may order many, and yet no one will avail. Besides, batteries for e-trikes are expensive.”
She said, however, that this concern must be shared with the Palace and cleared by the National Econo-mic and Development Authority.
“It’s not only the DOE that will decide. It will be Malacañang first, followed by other agencies. Meantime, it is still being evaluated. We are still negotiating with the bidder and reviewing if another auction is possible,” Monsada said.
The first batch of e-trikes is slated to be rolled out in the National Capital Region and Regions 4-A and 4-B.
The Land Bank of the Philippines will serve as the conduit of the ADB, and will collect and repay the multilateral lending institution for the deployment of the e-trikes.