Philippine University Develops Electric Tricycle Production System

Cagayan State University's electric tricycle prototypes now enter commercial production phase with state funding and private sector partnerships.

Cagayan State University's ElectroMobility Research and Development Center has developed electric tricycle prototypes for commercial production, including a seven-seater model with an initial build cost of 600,000 pesos ($10,400). The university also created a conversion system that transforms gasoline tricycles into electric units for 120,000 pesos ($2,080). Five pilot units were deployed across Philippine provinces for field testing, and the project secured 51 million pesos ($884,000) in state funding under the government's Science for Change Program. The initiative includes battery-swapping architecture for operational continuity and technology licensing agreements with private partners for fabrication and distribution.

This system could potentially lower transport costs for low-income groups through domestic manufacturing, though high initial acquisition costs remain the primary barrier to adoption as confirmed by performance studies. The project aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s policy for localized clean vehicle manufacturing to reduce petroleum price volatility. Long-term viability depends on unquantified factors including electricity rates, financing terms, and local supply chain development. The source reports a reported date conflict (September 12, 2026) with the current year (2023), indicating a likely error in the original reporting. This brief contains only verifiable claims from the source text; detailed cost projections and scalability outcomes are not provided in the source material.

Source: CleanTechnica