(Edited Press Release)
A new era of sustainable transportation has dawned in the Philippines! Globe Group’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corporation, and Taiwan’s Gogoro Inc made history on April 24, 2023 by launching the Gogoro Smartscooters and introducing the concept of battery swapping for electric vehicles in the country.
The big announcement was the highlight of a ceremony held at the Globe headquarters in Bonifacio Global City. The three companies revealed the Quarter 4 public release of the Gogoro Smartscooters and the battery-swapping stations in Metro Manila. They described the sustainable transport concept as smart, convenient, and accessible which will bring electric two-wheelers closer to more local customers.
“We in the Globe Group are very proud to bring Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping to the Philippines, a transport ecosystem that marries mobility innovation and sustainability. This year, Filipinos will have access to these electric two-wheelers and Gogoro’s convenient and cost-efficient battery-swapping technology, another first in the Philippines,” said Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu at the launch.
Globe Capital Venture Holdings Director Bernie Llamzon, Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Gogoro Founder and CEO Horace Luke, Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu, and 917 Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat at the launch of the Gogoro Smartscooters® and Battery-Swapping GoStation ecosystem in the Philippines.
Gogoro’s launch is the Globe Group’s debut in the climate tech space, as it continues to deliver innovations that address Filipinos’ daily pain points. As a better transportation alternative, Gogoro aims to address commuter woes on expensive gas prices while helping curb carbon emissions, in line with the partners’ shared commitment to sustainability, and the Philippine government’s sustainable development agenda.
Globe Capital Venture Holdings Director Bernie Llamzon, Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu, Gogoro Founder and CEO Horace Luke, 917 Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat, and Director of the Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) of the Department of Energy Patrick Aquino officially launch the Gogoro Smartscooters® and Battery-Swapping GoStation ecosystem in the Philippines.
It also marks the Philippine entry of Gogoro, a brand that has transformed two-wheel mobility in Taiwan and fostered a new smart mobility industry with a network of eco-friendly businesses and end-users. In addition to Taiwan and the Philippines, Gogoro is also operating in China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and Israel.
Horace Luke, Founder and CEO of Gogoro, said the company is excited to bring the Gogoro ecosystem to the Philippines and is committed to replicating its success in Taiwan, where Gogoro has 540,000 riders and has deployed more than one million smart batteries at 12,000 battery-swapping stations. Gogoro riders have swapped more than 450 million total swaps, 400,000 per day, and Gogoro has saved more than 627,000 tons of CO2 since it launched.
Gogoro Founder and CEO Horace Luke and Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu taking Gogoro Smartscooters® for a quick spin.
“Our partnership with the Globe Group and Ayala Corporation in the Philippines is a major milestone in our mission to transform urban transportation and provide an accessible path for riders to adopt sustainable urban mobility and play a key role in battling climate change and making the world better for all. We look forward to working together to deliver a sustainable transport system that will improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, and provide a superior riding experience for consumers in the Philippines,” Luke said.
At the event, the partners unveiled the first Gogoro battery-swapping station at The Globe Tower–the start of a network of Gogoro battery-swapping stations planned to be established initially in Metro Manila and eventually across the country.
They also announced the Gogoro pilot in Globe, where 70 employees will be the first to try out the Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping. They will test the system for two months starting in May and share insights on their experience to ensure an even better customer experience once the e-bikes become available to the public later this year.
“The Gogoro ecosystem is very convenient as its swap-and-go technology allows riders to swap out depleted batteries for charged ones in just seconds and go on their way. With the current traffic situation in the metro, these Smartscooters® will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to ease congestion while at the same time reducing carbon emissions,” said Bernie Llamzon, Globe Capital Venture Holdings Inc. Director.
917Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat, meanwhile, thanked the government’s support for the shift to EVs as he cited the importance of enabling policy for electric vehicles to succeed in the country.
“The shift to EVs, particularly deploying Gogoro’s battery-swapping system, will go a long way with sustained government support that will allow private sector initiatives to prosper. Sustainable transportation projects are, after all, aligned with the government’s long-term agenda to promote environment-friendly transport options and foster digitalization as mobility needs of Filipino individuals and businesses rise,” Yamat said.
The Globe Group, 917Ventures, and Ayala Corporation consistently lead the way in utilizing technology to enhance the lives of Filipinos and safeguard the environment through their innovative change-making initiatives.
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