Filipino EV taxi operators deploy hundreds of electric taxis on GrabTaxi Electric as fuel costs surge
- Multi-operator partnership gives commuters wider access to safe, reliable, fully electric rides while demonstrating that Filipino-owned fleets can lead the shift to more sustainable urban transport
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 01 April 2026 – Filipino electric-vehicle taxi operators – EV Taxi Corporation, EnviroCab, TaxiKo Transport Services, KateMikylla, CMAIII, ManilaTrans Taxi Corp, and Sun & Bin Transportation Corporation, have activated hundreds of hybrid and electric taxi units on GrabTaxi Electric.
The expansion comes as fuel prices continue to climb sharply across the Philippines, putting added pressure on operators of combustion-engine fleets. In early March alone, the Department of Energy flagged possible pump price hikes of P17.50 to P24.25 per liter for diesel and P7 to P13 per liter for gasoline, marking the ninth straight weekly increase for gasoline at the time. For fleet operators running traditional taxis, these swings translate directly into tighter margins and less predictable daily earnings.
Electric vehicles, by contrast, offer a fundamentally different cost structure. Operators say electric taxis, even before the latest surge in oil prices, were already running at roughly 75% to 87% lower cost per kilometer than a typical internal-combustion taxi. In the current environment, this gives EV taxi operators a more stable, more resilient, and more sustainable business model.
For the participating operators, GrabTaxi Electric provides more than digital visibility. By activating on Grab’s platform, Filipino-owned EV taxi fleets gain direct access to millions of on-demand commuters – the kind of consistent, high-volume demand that is difficult to generate through street-hail alone. Several operators report that on-demand bookings through GrabTaxi Electric now account for more than 80% of their average daily transactions, demonstrating that platform-matched demand materially improves fleet utilization.
The partnership also advances the objectives of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA/RA11697), which promotes expedited LTFRB franchise processing for EV public utility vehicles. The LTFRB has previously affirmed its support for accelerating the transition of taxi fleets to electric vehicles as part of the government’s broader transport modernization and clean energy agenda.
“When we invested in an all-electric fleet, the challenge was never the vehicle. It was the demand. Street-hail alone could not sustain the utilization rates we needed to make this business work. Activating on GrabTaxi Electric changed the equation. We now have a reliable stream of on-demand bookings that keep our units productive across the day. For a Filipino operator, that is the difference between an EV fleet that survives and the one that scales. We are proud that this is a partnership built on local operators and Filipino enterprise, not foreign capital,” said Eric Ke, Chief Mobility Strategist of EV Taxi Corp.
How to Book GrabTaxi Electric
Passengers open the Grab app and enter their pick-up and drop-off points as they would for any regular Grab ride. From the Transport tab, they select the vehicle options for their route, then scroll to the Taxi section and toggle to “Electric taxi.” Fares follow LTFRB-regulated metered taxi rates.
GrabTaxi Electric is currently in beta, rolling out across Metro Manila hubs including Makati, Taguig, Pasig, Pateros, Marikina, Manila, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pasay, and select areas of Paranaque and Quezon City. Grab has also announced plans to expand its eco-mobility strategy to regional cities, including Cebu and Davao, as EV taxi adoption accelerates nationwide.
Grab said the partnership reflects its role in connecting commuters to transport options that are both practical and forward-looking. “Grab is proud to serve as a bridge between the riding public and the Filipino operators who are leading the shift to electric mobility,” shares Gines Barot, Grab Philippines General Manager for Mobility. “What makes this partnership distinct is that it is driven by local entrepreneurs who made the decision to invest in EV fleets and chose Grab as their platform to reach commuters at scale. Our role is to make sure they succeed by providing the demand, the technology, and the trust infrastructure that turns EV investment into a viable business. As fuel costs continue to rise, we believe that this model points the way forward: Filipino-owned, platform-powered, and built around a transport future that is more sustainable and more resilient.”
Safety and Trust
Both passengers and drivers of GrabTaxi Electric can access to the full suite of safety features Grab has long been known for, including AudioProtect for secure in-ride audio capture during safety incidents, Trip Monitoring for detecting unusual disruptions along a journey, Share Your Ride for live trip sharing with trusted contacts, Emergency Assistance tools within the Safety Center for faster support, and insurance programs that provide added protection on the road.
GrabTaxi Electric driver-partners, meanwhile, can also benefit from Grab’s robust incentive ecosystem and other targeted earning mechanisms designed to help support viable earnings.
What Comes Next
The multi-operator deployment on GrabTaxi Electric represents the demand side of the electric transition: proving that EV taxis can earn on-platform at commercially viable levels. Grab Philippines is also working across its broader ecosystem to make electric vehicles more accessible for the next wave of drivers and operators who want to make the switch.
