🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

EV truck bans remain city-specific, not a blanket national advantage

• DHL’s electric vans may run in truck-ban hours in some areas, though that is not assured nationwide. The Department of Energy (DOE) reminded the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that EVs and hybrids are exempt from number coding 1, while the MMDA’s EDSA odd-even scheme has exemptions 2. Those rules do not cover cargo truck bans set by other cities.
• Local governments set truck-ban hours for cargo vehicles. Rules differ by city or municipality, so any edge for DHL depends on permits or case-by-case exemptions.
• Lack of national EV freight rules leaves logistics firms juggling local ordinances. That uncertainty limits where flexibility applies and dampens the investment’s usefulness until agencies align.

Logistics depots need charging to stay competitive

• EV sales grew from 214 in 2019 to 18,690 in 2024 3. Public chargers cluster in Metro Manila, which creates a supply gap 4, so fleets like DHL’s 23 units need depot chargers near ports or hubs to keep routes on time.
• The zero-tariff policy for EV imports runs to 2028 4, and the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) requires chargers in parking areas 5. Fleet charging vendors and energy service companies can build sites in logistics parks around Metro Manila and on key provincial routes where public options are thin.
• Volume could hit 20,000 units in 2025 4. Early builders of commercial fleet sites can lock multi-year deals with couriers moving beyond Metro Manila, where gaps are widest.