CEBU could capture a larger share of the growing electric-mobility industry by moving beyond the import and assembly of electric motorcycles and developing a local manufacturing and export base for electric two-wheelers, an industry executive said.
Sheldon Lee, co-founder of Singapore-based electric mobility company Kilats, said Cebu already has key ingredients to support an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing ecosystem, including an established industrial base, skilled workers, engineering and software talent from local universities and access to international markets through its ports.
Speaking at the recent Cebu Economic Forum 4.0 on Sept. 9, 2026, Lee said the opportunity is for Cebu to gradually localize production, starting with imported fully built or completely knocked-down units before moving into the manufacture of motorcycle components.
He said such a shift could create manufacturing and technology jobs, attract long-term investment and position Cebu as an export base for electric two-wheelers.
Kilats operates an integrated electric-mobility system that combines electric motorcycles, removable batteries, battery-swapping stations and fleet-management software. The company began operations in Bali in 2024 and later expanded to Bandung, Indonesia.
Its initial customers are mainly Grab delivery riders. Lee said Kilats had about 700 motorcycles supported by 44 battery-swapping stations in Indonesia at the time covered by his presentation.
Battery swapping can be completed in less than a minute, addressing one of the biggest operational concerns for delivery riders: charging downtime.
Lee said riders using the system reduced daily downtime from around three hours to less than one hour. Lower energy and maintenance costs could reduce operating expenses by as much as 60 percent and potentially double riders’ daily earnings, he added.
The Philippines, however, has lagged other Asian markets in electric two-wheeler adoption because of consumer concerns, products that do not always fit local requirements, inadequate charging and swapping infrastructure and regulatory barriers.
Lee said delivery riders represent a logical starting market because they travel longer distances and work extended hours, making savings on fuel, maintenance and downtime more significant.
Plug-and-play investment
To attract EV manufacturers and investors, he urged the government to establish a “plug-and-play” investment framework, simplify permits and vehicle registration and improve coordination among agencies involved in electric mobility.
He cautioned that subsidies alone would not be enough to accelerate adoption. Investors also require regulatory certainty, infrastructure, access to financing and an ecosystem capable of supporting commercial operations.
Electric-mobility investments also require “patient capital,” Lee said, with investors prepared to wait five to 10 years for returns as the market and supporting infrastructure develop.
Kilats favors partnerships with local companies as it expands into new markets. Lee said the company considers conventional petrol-powered motorcycle manufacturers, rather than other EV companies, its main competitors.
For Cebu, the longer-term opportunity is to turn growing demand for electric motorcycles into an industrial play — building local supply chains and manufacturing capability that could eventually serve both the Philippine and export markets. / KOC