Has everybody plugged-in into the hype of EVs yet? That is of course a rhetorical question. The recent conclusion of the very successful 2024 Manila International Auto Show is undeniable proof that the popularity and considerable acceptance of EVs by the local motoring public, particularly the BEVs (purely battery-powered electric vehicles), are no longer just about the hype. EVs, for the past few years have been steadily streaming into the local automotive industry via a pedestrian gate so to speak, in comparison to the floodgates kicked wide open during the last MIAS, with Chinese car brands both well-established and totally new (now totaling nearly 30 in the country) taking center stage. Obviously, the premier Auto Show in the Philippines was literally considered the launching pad for new brands, a dizzying number of new models, and the industry’s full-blown electrification (no pun intended).
My first time to drive an EV in a real-world scenario was about 14 years ago in China, and several years earlier than that, as a passenger in a BEV concept car in Tokyo. Of course, my experience from the former didn’t impress me at all as it simply felt and drove like a glorified golf cart. Crude and rickety. I am thankful that my first real experience with driving a BEV on the streets of Metro Manila happened just a few years ago, with a Porsche Taycan followed by an Audi eTron GT, then the BMW i7. I can’t lie, as a car enthusiast first and a Motoring Journalist second, I was so busy trying to not grin ear-to-ear each time I drove- from the incredibly silent and smooth, immense acceleration from these fine cars, not to mention wrapping my head around the most advanced and slick technology they were almost overly equipped with. The common denominator was that these BEVs are from the premium luxury segment, so it made sense- the intended market for these cars won’t buy them as their daily drive, and would buy them as just one of the several they own. And to be brutally honest, in this category it’s never really about the savings on fuel costs and the reduced carbon footprint. They also can’t be bothered by the fast-charging infrastructure that’s still far from being fully in place. It’s about the satisfaction of being current on the latest trend in automotive technology, whilst being at the lap of opulent luxury. And maybe, to also not be left out as the one without one. In that premise, EVs easily made sense.
China changed all that. China makes almost everything, relatively within reach. I’d have to be apolitical in order to write this, so… I was totally shocked at how impressive and extensive the EVs were when they all were unveiled and showcased in their full glory at the MIAS. Sure, there were many media previews prior to the show, rumors and leakages on the web, but when all the actual nameplates and variants were rolled out (plus a few surprise brands’) for everyone to check out in the metal, it was a veritable deluge of EVs (let’s not even get into the Hybrids or PHEVs); and most of them possess stunning aesthetics (though very similar design cues make them difficult to tell apart), top and even mid variants are equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), have abundant power and respectable range per single charge, with a wanton use of large multiple touch-screen user interfaces, 360-degree cameras with 3D graphics galore, gimmicky LEDs, amazingly inviting interior design and amenities, and pricing so close to their ICE (internal combustion-engine) counterparts! Admittedly, they are just so darned compelling! The question is, does the middle-class Pinoy understand in full, and is he or she ready to commit to, the lifestyle changes and other implications that owning an EV as his or her first and/or only car requires?
Again with brutal honesty- the motivation behind acquiring an EV in the said sector of the local market is hardly about being environmentally friendly (though that is of course a very welcome benefit), bragging rights for a small part maybe, but it’s got to be about economics. Conversing with Mikko David of BYD Philippines during a Media Drive with the BYD Dolphin designed to address the main concern about owning an EV which is range anxiety, he stated his case quite clearly using a concise internal study they revealed, of one’s operating costs: compared to one’s average weekly expenses of about P1800.00+ on Unleaded fuel driving an ICE car, the cost of driving the BYD Dolphin to cover the same range based on the electrical consumption required to charge it (once or twice a week), would only amount to about a quarter of that, or P450.00 (despite the exorbitant cost of our electricity). So to many, that would be a no-brainer… for a controlled, predictable, driving distance scenario. We drove from Quezon City to Subic Bay in Zambales, and back, on a single charge. At 100% battery capacity, the Dolphin churns out 405 Kilometers, with an average style of driving (following speed limits, and under normal traffic conditions). Manila to Subic is over 150 Kms away, so with variables like traffic congestion, Expressway cruising, payload (driver+passengers and cargo), one should be able to do the roundtrip including stops with more than enough range to spare, to quell range anxiety. And everyone did, despite going through the peak of rush-hour traffic on the way back.
Well, I deviated from the convoy since I mistakenly drove past it (I wasn’t exactly competing to have the most range remaining) and took a slightly different route back. I was met with even more traffic congestion which caused me to arrive last on our destination with barely 5 Kilometers of range left. That, I worked hard to achieve via smooth driving and controlled bursts of speed while having to weave through usual tangled mess, to avoid running out of juice en route. So, my range anxiety was a bit on edge. In fairness to BYD’s vivid demonstration, within controlled conditions and with conscious compliance to a set of driving parameters and adherence to a set route, you can drive an EV to a far destination anxiety-free. But if one can’t have a prolonged break to charge overnight (using its standard charger, as opposed to a fast-charging facility) you’ll have to leave a sizeable buffer for unexpected situations (say a stalled car or accident ahead of you on a tight road you can’t back out from, getting lost, etc.), to be on the safe side. It’s not like you can use a power bank on it, or hot-swap its battery with a fresh one (like some e-bikes can).
Admittedly, acquiring an EV has significant perks on top of the much lower per Km cost to run one. It has a lot less moving parts, so the lower cost of maintenance will offset its higher SRP sooner than you’d think. It’s also significantly smoother in terms of ride comfort and handling, has less vibration, and of course a near-absence of rolling noise, that greatly reduces the stress of a daily drive to and from work. Consider though that an EV will have a lower resale value than an ICE-V, and you’d probably want to offload it before its (longest available) 8-year warranty on the battery runs out (which is hands-down the most expensive component of your EV). Also, tires on an EV have a shorter life due to the hefty weight of the battery, and its Torque-y nature I suppose, so the effortless bursts of acceleration will have its price too.
Speaking with Bob Shaw, VP and General Manager of EvoXTerra Inc., official Distributor of FAW and BAW commercial EVs (vans and light trucks), EVs make a lot of business sense on Last-Mile applications, like delivering parcels etc. on a routinary and predictable daily route. These EVs have a shorter average range of 280-300 Kms on a single charge, as compared to the newer Crossover/SUV-Type EVs that now are capable of sub-600 Kms range per charge on average, but these commercial vehicles ply the same route day in and day out, so the much lower running and maintenance costs definitely bid well for any business with that kind of need.
Naysayers would argue that the carbon footprint of producing a single EV battery is huge (okay, okay I was a skeptic), so it negates the positive environmental impact an EV is supposed to make in the first place. If it’s on a single-EV premise, yes, but in the grand scheme of things, if more people globally used EVs both in the private and especially the commercial sector (as opposed to Diesel-smoke spewing ICE versions of them), the significant reduction of toxic emissions overall is what our ailing environment desperately needs. But, EV battery technology will need to advance on a faster pace, lest we consume so much rare-earth metals for their production. They’ll have to last longer, yield more power on a smaller size and lighter weight, cost less to produce, and be safer to dismantle and recycle, with a lot less toxic components to discard at the end of their service life. Electrification in the auto industry is a necessary step to go through while the powers that be, work on perfecting the technology for the cost-efficient processing and utilization of Hydrogen as our primary fuel, which is undoubtedly the cleanest and most sustainable new energy source for automobiles and hopefully all motorized means of transportation, and even on our homes! It’s just still too costly for consumer applications. Toyota Motor Corporation staunchly believes in multiple pathways to achieve Carbon Neutrality, and though it supports the use of EVs to contribute to reaching the goal, it instead perfected Hybrid Technology for cars (with still the most extensive and reliable Hybrid model lineup to date), while aggressively pursue the development of Hydrogen power for near-future use. The global automotive leader supports the EV bandwagon that’s already in full-swing, as they drive that wagon through the most sustainable path they’ve deemed to be the most ideal, to reach the coveted Zero-emission destination. Shouldn’t we all be for that? Uh-oh, I think I’ve fallen to the other side of the fence I was sitting on.