Sarao aims to release fully electric jeepneys in 2026

Sarao Motors Inc. is targeting to release fully electric jeepneys by third or fourth quarter of the year, Sarao Operations Supervisor Leonard John C. Sarao told the media on the sidelines of a Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) event.

“The thing is, when the modernization program started, the sales of traditional jeepneys stopped, because it can no longer be registered for public transport,” Mr. Sarao said.

“So, the modernization program, it started in 2016. So, [DoTr] already tapped us during that time. They asked us if we can develop a modern jeepney. So, they gave us a set of guidelines, and then after that, we proceeded to make our first prototype,” he said.

Mr. Sarao said that their first prototype was fully electric and was in the Department of Transportation (DoTr) transport show. However, it did not take off well. When the guidelines for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) became stricter, they created another prototype.

According to him, the comments on their first prototype was that it did not look like the traditional Filipino jeepney. He said Sarao was asked to make a modern-looking jeepney for the PUVMP.

“So, what we did was, we tried to integrate the design cues of the traditional jeepney, but still complying with the PNS, the Philippine New Standard, that the height requirement should be like this. Ingress and egress [are] already at the side, [with] air conditioning, Wi-Fi, CCTV, [and] PWD access. So, we rehashed our whole prototyping into that newer model that we made,” Mr. Sarao said.

Mr. Sarao said that their new fully electric modern jeepney is made in partnership with Tembo, an Australian company, which provided the powertrains for the electric jeepneys. According to him, they did not have the resources to manufacture their own powertrains yet here in the Philippines.

“One of the reasons you don’t see much of the local manufactured ones is the costing. First of all, they’re imported, they’re mass-produced. They have machines to build them. Our local builders, until now, they still do it by hand. They still value the craftsmanship of our builders, our fabricators, our artists,” he said.

According to Mr. Sarao, the sales of traditional jeepney stopped when the PUVMP started since traditional jeepneys can no longer be given a franchise by the DoTr. Sarao Motors sales are now solely for private individuals and businesses.

“So, ever since they implemented that, our sales dropped a bit, because people are afraid that later on, the modernization program won’t continue, because until now the jeepneys can’t be completely phased out. So, people are still holding on,” Mr. Sarao said.

“Honestly, as the manufacturer, I’m open to whatever the consumers want. I want to give them the choice. I don’t want to force them that they can only buy this product. So, again, it’s really more of a waiting game of what will happen when this program is implemented. If all the traditional ones will really disappear, they’ll be forced into the modern, or maybe we could improve or retrofit these old vehicles to make them roadworthy,” he said.

Mr. Sarao said he thinks that there is still a way to pay homage or pay tribute to the culture of the jeepneys, which they are trying to integrate now into the modern jeepneys they are developing.

“[The modern jeepneys] doesn’t look like the public transport I know here in the Philippines. You’ll see that it looks like a minibus. That’s what we’re trying to retain. So, in a way, we can change that a little bit to still resemble the traditional jeepneys. The traditional artworks that they have. The vibrancy of our jeepneys. So, that’s what we’re trying as a company to keep the essence or the spirit of the jeepney there,” he said.

Mr. Sarao also said they are not done developing as the units still lack air-conditioning systems.

“We’re still finishing the prototype. So, hopefully, by this year, our target is maybe 3rd or 4th quarter of this year, we’ll be able to release it because it still lacks an aircon. Right now, the components are ready, but we’re still fabricating the ducting. So, once that’s all good, we’ll see.” — Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba