How electric vehicles are helping Asia, Africa take a bite out of greenhouse gas emissions
At dawn, Dorothy Mae Dumawal strolls past a fleet of electric three-wheeled vehicles charging at a government-owned parking lot in Pasig City, Philippines. In a short while, the vehicles, which belong to the Philippine Postal Corporation, will set off on mail runs across bustling Pasig City, part of metro Manila.
“Before this charging station, our drivers had to rush home whenever their batteries ran low,” says Dumawal, who manages the fleet. “Now, they can simply stop here, take a short break while charging and continue serving our community.”
The vehicles are among 30 deployed in Pasig City under a project led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). That effort is part of a larger push, funded by Germany’s International Climate Initiative, to speed the rollout of electric motorcycles and three-wheelers in nine countries across Asia and Africa.
The transition, say experts, is crucial to reducing air pollution and reining in greenhouse gas emissions, which today spew from hundreds of millions of smaller petrol-burning vehicles across both continents.
“Making up the largest percentage of the vehicle fleet in many African and Asian cities, two- and three-wheelers represent the low-hanging fruit in both regions’ transport electrification journey,” says Rob de Jong, Head of UNEP’s Sustainable Mobility Unit.
In 2017, UNEP and the International Climate Initiative began rolling out electric vehicle pilot projects while supporting governments as they developed policies to speed the shift away from petrol-burners. The need for change is pressing. Asia alone adds 60 million two- and three-wheelers to its roads every year.
In parts of Southeast Asia where UNEP has worked, electric vehicles have begun to make headway. Vietnam now boasts over 3 million electric two-wheelers among its 60 million motorcycles, while Thailand’s “30@30” policy aims for 30 per cent of vehicles produced to be electric by 2030. That goal has been backed by corporate tax incentives and robust charging infrastructure. Indonesia has focused on developing national policies to accelerate the transition to electric mobility.
Distribution channels: Environment
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Submit your press release