The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has announced that 3,000 out of 8,000 franchise slots allocated for electric vehicle (EV)-powered taxis in Metro Manila remain available. Applications for these slots are ongoing in other key cities.
According to Joel J. Bolano, technical division chief of the LTFRB, the approved EV taxis are already operating. Among the operators granted franchises are several companies, including Vietnamese ride-hailing firm Green and Smart Mobility, local operator EV Taxi Corp., and smaller taxi operators.
These smaller taxi operators have started replacing their old units with EVs, with some now venturing into the fleet. The LTFRB is prioritizing the processing and approval of EV taxi franchise applications to encourage operators to shift from conventional vehicles to EVs.
The allocation of EV taxi franchise slots in the country's key cities is provided under a specific LTFRB memorandum circular. The ongoing initiatives are part of the LTFRB's efforts to help public transport operators meet the minimum 5% electric vehicle fleet requirement, which is mandated under the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act.
