Philippines’ iconic jeepneys face rocky road to go electric

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 jeepneys" class="entity-link entity-topic" data-entity-id="165965" data-entity-type="topic">e-jeepneys.Since the Iran-conflict" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="44272" data-entity-type="event">Iran conflict began in late February, diesel prices have soared, leading to an exodus of jeepney drivers from the road. fuel costs in Metro Manila hit a high of 114 pesos (US$1.90) per litre in March – nearly one-sixth of the minimum daily wage rate for non-agricultural workers in the Philippine capital region.