Boosting the image of sustainable transportation in the country, the Department of Energy (DOE) has recently launched a contest, “Bright Now! Do Right. Be Bright. Go E-trike!” as a means for letting the public submit designs for viable e-trike models. Submitted designs are to be used for city and rural purposes, essentially giving conventional tricycle operators and passengers a cleaner and more practical option to use.
As per the DOE’s contest mechanics, designs to be submitted are to be of three-wheeled electric vehicles, with accommodation for 6 passengers (not including the e-trike’s driver). The contest is open to all Filipino citizens of legal age (of 18 years old and above). Individual or group design submissions are also welcome. As another requirement, designs should also include 2D and 3D computer-aided drawings to signify the aesthetic and functional properties of the vehicle.
The use of e-trikes is slowly being advocated in the Philippines. Some key cities or provinces known to use these vehicles are Puerto Princesa, Palawan; The Tiger City, Mandaluyong; Surigao; and modern Taguig City. The benefits of these e-trikes are the practical savings of the operators (fuel expenditure), little to no smoke emission at all, and the level of silence brought upon by these vehicles’ motors.
