Local EV taxi operators deploy units on GrabTaxi Electric

A group of Filipino electric vehicle (EV) taxi operators have deployed hundreds of hybrid and fully electric taxi units on Grab’s platform in an effort to give commuters some lower cost alternatives amid rising fuel prices due to the global oil crisis.

In a news release on Wednesday, Grab Philippines said seven EV taxi operators – EV Taxi Corporation, EnviroCab, TaxiKo Transport Services, KateMikylla, CMAIII, ManilaTrans Taxi Corp, and Sun & Bin Transportation Corporation – have onboarded their fleets on GrabTaxi Electric. 

The ride-hailing firm said the activation of the seven EV taxi operators of their units into its platform came as fuel prices continue to rise.

Grab said the rising fuel costs would mean tighter margins and less predictable daily earnings for traditional taxi operators.

“Electric vehicles, by contrast, offer a fundamentally different cost structure,” it said.

“Operators say electric taxis, even before the latest surge in oil prices, were already running at roughly 75% to 87% lower cost per kilometer than a typical internal-combustion taxi. In the current environment, this gives EV taxi operators a more stable, more resilient, and more sustainable business model,” it added.

Grab said the GrabTaxi Electric is currently in beta version and is being rolled out across Metro Manila hubs including Makati City, Taguig City, Pasig City, Pateros, Marikina City, Manila, San Juan City, Mandaluyong City, Pasay City, and select areas of Parañaque City and Quezon City. 

The company added it is planning to expand its eco-mobility strategy to regional cities, including Cebu and Davao, as EV taxi adoption accelerates nationwide. — JMA, GMA News