Hydrogen for public transport and other e-mobility

Philippines-based eFrancisco Motor Corporation which makes the country’s jeepney minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation there (accounting for about 40%), and United Kingdom-based global hydrogen group HDEX are partnering to develop hydrogen projects.

The eFrancisco Motor Corporation participates in the Philippine government’s “Public Utility Vehicle Modernisation Program” (PUVMP) which aims to replace all jeepneys and other public utility vehicles that are at least 15 years old with more energy-efficient and environment-friendly alternatives.

“This partnership marks a significant leap,” says HDEX chairman Aron Dutta.

“We are confident that our combined strengths will propel us towards sustainable growth.”

Rather than seeing hydrogen as an alternative fuel, eFrancisco Motor Corporation chief executive Elmer Francisco says it is a fuel of the future.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

He says it will not only reshape public transportation but also set a new standard for environmentally conscious and efficient mobility solutions powered by hydrogen technology.

Jeepneys are mainly diesel-powered, with a joint venture agreement signed last year between the Francisco Motor Corporation and VivoPower International subsidiary Tembo E-LV for Tembo to develop and supply electric utility vehicle (EUV) electrification kits for a new generation of electric jeepneys, replacing many of the more than 200,000 jeepneys on the road in the Philippines,

In urban areas, jeepneys contribute up to 94% of ultrafine soot particles related to adverse respiratory and cardiovascular effects, increased cases of asthma, and premature deaths, reports say.

In June 2017, the Philippine government, through the Department of Transportation (DOTr), announced its plan to modernise the public transportation industry.

Under PUVMP, the DOTr requires that all jeepneys and other public utility vehicles with at least 15 years of service be replaced with more energy-efficient and environment-friendly alternatives, expected to save billions annually.

The initiative reportedly provides jeepney drivers and operators the option of switching to Euro 4-compliant or electric engine vehicles, with an initial 37,000 jeepneys to be electrified.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration in the US has announced US$653 million in grants to expand EV charging and hydrogen refuelling there.

The initiative aims to support the construction of 7500 EV charging stations across the US, aiming to meet the Biden administration’s goal of creating at least 500,000 public charging stations by 2030, creating new jobs and facilitating the transition to all-electric transportation.