MANILA - A local manufacturer is offering electric jeepneys for less than P1 million per unit, which is a third of the P3 million cost being asked by other electric vehicle makers.

Francisco Motors said its electric jeepney will sell for P985,000 for the first 1,000 units.

• Cost of modernized, electric vehicles less than P1-M: Francisco Motors

Elmer Francisco, who owns Francisco Motors, said the company decided to slash the price so that operators and jeepney drivers to afford the unit as part of the government's modernization program.

Francisco said the units will be built in an ecozone in Camarines Norte and the initial completed unit is expected to be finished by the second quarter of 2024.

The design is similar to the current traditional jeepney, but with 11 seats each on both sides and room for 8 standing passengers, for a total of 30 passengers.

Hundreds of transport cooperatives have signified interest in reserving units including the CAZANOVA Transport service cooperative based in Novaliches, Quezon City.

CAZANOVA chairman Willy Tecson said they were attracted by the price difference between Francisco Motors' electric jeep and modernized jeepneys which cost more than P2 million each.

Tecson said the e-jeeps are more affordable for their 60 members who are drivers and operators.

Currently, the group still has around 40 traditional jeepneys but since they have already consolidated, they will continue to use these old jeepneys to earn income while waiting for the e-jeepney.

These new e-jeepneys will be airconditioned and the system will be different from the current manual drive used in traditional jeepneys.

Transport groups recently held a strike to protest the Dec. 31, 2023 deadline for franchise consolidation of public utility jeepneys.

Lawmakers have also filed a resolution to this effect.

• Transport group, Makabayan want jeepney franchise consolidation scrapped

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) however is standing firm on its deadline for Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers to consolidate into cooperatives and corporations.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista insisted that consolidation of PUVs will ensure effective and sustainable operations.

The transport chief said a “just transition” will be observed during the program implementation, stressing that roadworthy jeepneys will still be allowed to ply their routes.