Philippines’ iconic jeepneys face rocky road to go electric

AI Summary

In the Philippines, iconic jeepneys, a primary form of public transport, are facing challenges shifting from diesel to electric amid fuel price spikes and rising debts among operators. The situation is exacerbated by tensions in the Gulf impacting fuel costs, adding urgency to the transition.

For generations, jeepneys – brightly painted minibuses that are among the Philippines’ cheapest and most used forms of public transport – have run on diesel, but recent fuel shocks are forcing thousands of small operators and drivers to weigh volatile prices against the debt needed to go electric. Diesel prices spiked anew by nearly 5 pesos this week, as renewed tensions in the Gulf threatened to strain the country’s public transport sector, giving new urgency to the uneven shift towards...