Cebu: A local conglomerate has partnered with a Vietnam-based electric vehicle (EV) company to establish eight charging and battery-swapping stations in Cebu province, citing the growing number of EV users in central Philippines. Top Line Business Development Corp., which has interests in energy, fuel, real estate, technology development, and port and ferry terminal operations, announced Friday that six of the facilities will be set up at Light Fuels service stations in Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City. The other two stations will be located at its smart port Pier88 and Bay Mall in Liloan, according to a Top Line news release. The facilities are expected to begin operations by the third quarter of the year.
According to Philippines News Agency, under the agreement, each participating Light Fuels station will feature one or two EV charging bays capable of servicing 18 to 20 vehicles per bay daily using the Combined Charging System Combo 2, the universal charging connector mandated by the Department of Energy. Officials of Top Line Business Development Corp. and V-Green Charging Stations Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of Vietnam-based EV maker VinFast, signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday.
The partnership will transform the Light Fuels retail network into charging and battery-swapping hubs for VinFast electric scooters. 'This strategic move aims to make our core fuel business future-ready in the current energy landscape. We are optimistic of our partnership with V-Green aimed at capturing EV customers, addressing service gaps by providing a multi-energy platform supporting both traditional fuels and electric mobility solutions,' Top Line Business Development Corp. senior vice president/chief operating officer Brigitte Carmel Lim said.
V-Green Vietnamese representative Nguyen Thi Vu An described the partnership as a significant milestone for both firms. 'This collaboration is a massive step forward in expanding our network and bringing sustainable energy to more locations,' she said. The partnership comes as demand for EV infrastructure continues to grow amid the government's push for cleaner and more sustainable transport solutions.
