The e-jeepney has once again been featured in the local news as it is being promoted in the city of Makati. As one of the primary business districts of the Philippines it would do well to adapt the e-jeepney in Makati for public transport in order to reduce the city’s overall pollution and carbon emissions.
This version of the e-jeepney can fit 13 passengers and needs 8 hours to charge. Like most jeepneys it is devoid of airconditioning. E-jeepneys have been previously classified as slow moving vehicles by the Public Transportation department, limiting their access to major thoroughfares. They are currently plying in Makati City a route that is being touted as a “green route”.
The Discovery Channel’s show, Ecopolis, featured the e-jeepney in one of its segments. The show judges the worthiness of a project to join an ideal future city in terms of environmental impact. The e-jeepney was judged worthy of joining the ideal future city only if everybody stopped using their cars and used public transportation.
The word “jeepney” is a play on the name of the American military vehicle, the “Jeep.” After World War II a lot of jeep’s were left behind by the Americans that the Filipino’s converted for use as public transport. The jeepney is said to capture the spirit of the resilience and toughness of the Filipino people, wherein the Filipino can adapt and make do with the materials on hand in order to survive.
Category: Automotive, Electric Car
