Bill to amend EO12 seeks incentives for e-motorcycles —Salceda

A bill aims incentivize the use of e-motorcycles by including them in the list of electric vehicles benefiting from tariff reduction.

According to a statement by Albay Representative Joey Salceda on Sunday, House Bill 9573 was created as an amendment to Executive Order No. 12 series of 2022, which modifies the tariff rates for certain EVs and their parts and components to boost green transportation in the country.

The lawmaker said that while e-motorcycles were the most affordable electric vehicles and may be a possible solution to congestion, they were not included in the current measure.

"Some 60 percent of electric vehicles are two-wheeled, meaning that the vast majority of electric vehicles do not benefit from the tax incentives granted under the law... encouraging electric cars while locking out electric motorcycles does not address congestion issues, but merely substitutes petroleum-fueled cars for their space on the road," Salceda said on the bill.

"In order to address these issues, this proposal clarifies in its definition of terms that electric vehicles include two-wheeled vehicles. Additionally, the measure provides a zero-percent duty treatment on completely-built electric vehicles to accelerate the shift to these types of vehicles," the lawmaker added.

Under EO 12, e-motorcycles are still subjected to a 30% tariff rate, while only two-wheeled e-vehicles not exceeding 250w and with a maximum speed of 25 km/hour have 0% import duties.

The order is up for review by the National Economic Development Authority this month. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News