Electric shuttles will soon replace Manila's
iconic jeepneys, as one of the city's main forms of public transport. The
diesel-powered jeepney is the Philippines’ most popular and inexpensive mode of
public transport, but it has been contributing to pollution.
MANILA:
Electric shuttles will soon replace Manila's iconic jeepneys, as one of the city's
main forms of public transport.
The
diesel-powered jeepney is the Philippines’ most popular and inexpensive mode of
public transport. Some even call it the “king of the road”.
But the
jeepney has also been contributing significantly to air and noise pollution.
The
20-seater electric-powered city shuttle is set to replace the smoke-belching
post-war vehicles.
Called
the COMET, the American-designed vehicle is distributed by Global Electric
Transportation, a partnership of both American and Filipino private investors.
The
company is hoping to roll out some 20,000 electric jeepneys over five years. It
will replace some of the 55,000 diesel jeepneys in Metro Manila.
Sigfrido
Tinga, president of Global Electric Transportation, said: "85 per cent of
this Metro Manila pollution is vehicular.
“Just
taking out the major part that's causing that pollution, which is the jeep, is
going to be amazing.
“Electric
vehicles are generally more expensive to acquire but are cheaper to operate so
when you look at that, it makes sense to use electric vehicles for public
transport rather than for private."
The
electric jeepney can travel up to 100 kilometres a day, at a top speed of 60
kilometres per hour, on a four-hour electric charge.
Environmentalists
said that each electric vehicle will significantly reduce annual carbon dioxide
and nitrogen oxide emissions.
Renato
Constantino, executive director of Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities,
said: “We don't see it, we inhale it. We definitely feel the effects of it in
terms of local air pollution, pollution on the streets, and we also contribute
in a big way to global climate change. Carbon dioxide is one of the leading
causes of warming temperatures worldwide.”
Jeepney
operators and drivers are excited to try the new shuttles. They said the
vehicles will shield them from rising oil prices, and give them a better
income.
Roberto
Martin, president of Pasang Masda transport group, said: "The income of
drivers is being affected by the prices of petroleum products like the diesel.
This is the total solution for our problem - zero pollution, and based on a
study, 50 per cent of the savings in diesel."
Future
plans for the shuttle include making it run on solar power, as electricity
prices continue to rise.
- CNA/xq
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