LTO urged to examine e-vehicle chargers

The second electric vehicle charging station (EVCS) is built inside the Subic Bay Freeport, which signifies its readiness to make the economic zone a tourist haven for e-vehicle owners. (Photo courtesy of SBMA)

Sen. Francis Tolentino on Saturday said owners of e-bikes, e-trikes and other similar vehicles should be required to use only authorized chargers after the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) suspected that faulty chargers had caused several fire incidents in Metro Manila.

Tolentino, who formerly headed the Metro Manila Development Authority, supported the decision of the Metro Manila Council to ban such modes of transportation from plying the major roads in the National Capital Region.

Aside from mandating them to register their vehicles, he said the Land Transportation Office (LTO) should ensure that e-bike and e-trike owners would only use government-approved chargers.

He said the BFP explained that legitimate and authorized chargers would automatically shutdown when the electric vehicles have been fully charged.

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On the other hand, he said, counterfeit chargers would usually emit smoke and suddenly burst into flames when e-trikes are overcharged and the LTO should closely inspect the charging systems of electric motor vehicles before approving their registration. — MARLON RAMOS