GREENING THE ROAD

Vietnam-based GSM unveils all-electric taxi fleet in the Philippines

- 

SAY WHAT you will about the electrification of mobility in the Philippines and its attendant speed bumps and all. It’s still happening. That’s not soot you're smelling; it’s an air of inevitability. In whatever form — from traditional hybrids to plug-ins to battery electrics — the internal combustion engine is losing its once-exclusive place in your engine bay in favor of a hybrid one or, sometimes, even a frunk (front trunk). Even a cursory look around an average mall parking lot will show a growing number of electrified options.

In fact, one could say that growth is actually outpacing the availability of public charging facilities. But that’s for another story.

Green and Smart Mobility Stock Company (or, simply, GSM) recently launched its service here in the Philippines. Not just another taxi or ride-hailing fleet, Green GSM is the first all-electric taxi service in the country — deploying an initial 500 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the National Capital Region (NCR).

According to the Board of Investments (BoI), the company (owned by Vingroup Founder and Chairman Pham Nhat Vu-ong) is sinking in US$500 million for the service. In an exclusive interview with “Velocity,” Green GSM Philippines President and Managing Director Phi Dao revealed that the amount is merely an “initial investment” that includes the taxis themselves, plus the construction of depots and charging stations, and other costs of doing business. Factored in as well is the training of its drivers. GSM intends to scale up business rather rapidly — eyeing the rollout of 15,000 vehicles in two to three years.