Gogoro Smartscooters with battery-swapping tech coming to PH in 2023

MANILA: Gogoro, a leader in two-wheel electric vehicles and battery-swapping technology, will soon arrive in the Philippines thanks to Globe's 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation.

Gogoro Smartscooters, which will begin testing in Metro Manila in Q1 2023, will offer a greener option to the fossil fuel-powered vehicles now employed by the logistics and last-mile delivery sectors. The Gogoro battery switching infrastructure powers Gogoro Smartscooters through conveniently situated swap stations, where users may instantly swap out low-battery conditions for fully charged ones in a matter of seconds.

A battery-swapping refueling platform for urban electric two-wheel scooters, mopeds, and motorbikes was created by the Taiwanese company Gogoro. Additionally, it creates its own brand of electric scooters and provides partnerships in the automotive industry with its own vehicle innovations.

In Taiwan, Gogoro currently has over 11,000 battery swapping stations at more than 2,260 locations. With over 1 million batteries in circulation the number of GoStations has already surpassed the number of gas stations in Taiwan’s major cities, making Gogoro battery swapping the de facto standard for electric two-wheel refueling in Taiwan. The Gogoro Network has more than 520,000 riders that perform more than 370,000 battery swaps per day.

The alliance, according to Vince Yamat, Managing Director of 917Ventures, aims to lower the use of fossil fuel by the nation's logistics sector, which is known to emit much higher emissions per vehicle per day than consumer riding.

“We are committed to help address the climate crisis by introducing Gogoro to logistics businesses, helping them in their sustainability efforts. In addition, because of the Swap & Go technology that enables riders to be fully charged in just seconds, we hope Gogoro will also help address hesitations surrounding charging electric vehicles and even finding parking slots. Hopefully, this technology will encourage more Filipinos to switch to EV,” Yamat said.

Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corporation’s Head of Business Development and Innovation, meanwhile, said: “Ayala supports the Department of Energy’s thrust to transition towards cleaner technologies. We are excited to contribute to a high-quality consortium focused on enhancing mobility through sustainable solutions, which aligns with our broader decarbonization and digital transformation ambitions.”

Patrick Aquino, Director of the Department of Energy’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau, said Taiwan has an incredibly high scooter density compared to the rest of the world, and it’s very encouraging to see its positive response to the Gogoro Network.

“More than 25% of their quick commerce deliveries and almost all of their electric deliveries are powered by battery-swapping technology, and we see this solution will be most beneficial to a densely populated region like Metro Manila, which is also the hub of business districts. The success of this pilot will pave the way for a new sustainable business model in other cities in the country as well,” he said, adding that the Philippines can learn from Taiwan’s experience.

Rafaelita Aldaba, an undersecretary in the Department of Trade and Industry, pointed out how the project supports both climate action and digitalization, which is in line with the government's growth plan.

“Our country needs innovative tech-led projects that support climate action. I commend 917Ventures, Globe and the Ayala Corporation for always being at the forefront of change-making initiatives that aim to improve the lives of Filipinos while helping protect the environment,” said Aldaba.

“Gogoro is honored to have the support of the Philippine’s Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to kickstart this new smart mobility movement in Manila that utilizes Gogoro’s intelligent battery swapping, a new generation of EV refueling,” said Horace Luke, founder and CEO of Gogoro.

“Through our collaboration with 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation, we are unlocking incredible environmental and sustainability benefits, and introducing new smart mobility efficiencies for businesses by improving how they manage their delivery fleets,” he added.

Photos from Globe, Gogoro

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