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MANILA, Philippines – Cagayan State University (CSU) has made its locally developed electric vehicle prototypes available to commercial investors, representing a practical step forward in expanding domestic manufacturing and clean transportation across the Philippines.
At the Sustainability Expo 2026 in Manila, the university’s ElectroMobility Research and Development Center (EMRDC) showcased two key innovations: a custom-built seven-seater electric tricycle and a converted conventional trike. While the initial build cost for the seven-seater prototype reached 600,000 pesos ($10,400), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. pointed out that commercial production will remove upfront research expenses. Scaling production and increasing mechanization are expected to lower material and labor costs significantly.
The research team previously created the C-Trike conversion system, which transforms standard gasoline tricycles into electric units for roughly 120,000 pesos ($2,080). This provides fleet operators with an accessible entry point to electrification without requiring complete vehicle replacements. To address charging downtime, the center also introduced a compatible battery-swapping architecture that allows drivers to replace depleted battery packs in minutes.
