Gogoro has once again expanded its overseas territory by working with the largest telecom operator Globe Telecom of the Philippines. The scooters and battery swapping stations will begin pilot runs in Manila starting from 2023, and become a new logistics tool in the country then.
Gogoro announced on November 30 that it would be strategically working with 917Ventures under the largest telecom operator Globe Telecom of the Philippines, as well as the most prominent company Ayala Corporation, on advancing clean energy, focusing on replacing traditional fossil-fuel vehicles with EVs, and providing “last mile” solutions for logistics in the Philippines.
The partnership will first begin from pilot locations in Manila. Gogoro, upon establishing its smart scooters and battery swapping stations, will become the latest sustainable and mobile logistics provider in the Philippines. Official commencement is scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.
“More than 1/4 of food delivery in Taiwan uses Gogoro’s battery swapping system, and we believe that Gogoro’s mobile solution is best suited for densely populated regions and shopping districts such as Metro Manila”, commented Patrick Aquino, Director of Energy Utilization Management Bureau, who said Taiwan’s experience will serve as the foundation for Manila and other cities in implementing sustainable commercial models.
The Philippines had attempted using chargeable scooters as logistics transportation, but was restricted by a lack of charging spots and prolonged charging time, and had thus selected Gogoro’s battery swapping solution to continue to actuate its logistics transformation.
Battery swapping is the closest form of energy replenishment to traditional vehicle’s gas filling compared to charging, but it is difficult in obtaining land for battery swapping stations, and that construction is also exorbitant in prices. Active support from the local government will provide additional help towards decarbonization.
Having established services in China, India, South Korea, and Indonesia, with its latest expansion in the Philippines, Gogoro has pretty much deployed in the most important scooter markets in the world, and is now expected to head towards Vietnam, aside from finding its feet.
(Cover photo source: Gogoro)