DOE Promulgates Guidelines for Electric Vehicle Recognition

On 12 May 2023, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued Department Circular No. DC2023-05-0012 (“Circular”) promulgating the Guidelines on the Electric Vehicle Recognition and Adoption of Electric Vehicle Standard Classification on Road Transport For Incentive Eligibility Pursuant to the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, otherwise known as the “EV Recognition Guidelines”.

The EV Recognition Guidelines apply to all road transport vehicle manufacturers, assemblers, importers, and rebuilders (“MARs”) for the classification and recognition of road transport electric vehicles (“EVs”), for the purpose of harmonizing the types of EVs and providing easy identification of EVs among the relevant national government agencies and EV Industry. Guidelines for EVs concerning air and water vehicles and other types of land vehicles shall be separately issued by the DOE.

Under the Circular, the definition and classification of EVs under the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (“EVIDA”) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations was recognized and adopted. 

The classification of EVs are as follows: 

• Battery EVs (“BEVs”) – are those EVs with an electrically propelled vehicle with only a traction battery as power source for vehicle propulsion. For the purpose of the Circular, pure electronic vehicle shall also be defined as BEVs.
• Hybrid-EVs (“HEVs”) – are those EVs with both a rechargeable energy storage system and fueled power source of propulsion. 
• Light EVs – are those EVs used in micro mobility that provide alternative modes of transportation which include electric scooters, electric bicycles, electric personal transport, and other similar vehicles weighing less than 50 kg. 
• Plug-in Hybrid-EVs – are those HEVs with rechargeable energy storage system that can be charged from an external electric energy source.

Even so, the DOE notes the continuing advances and innovations of technologies and reserves the right to further classify EVs upon the notice of road transport vehicle MARs for vehicles with at least 1 electric drive used for propulsion. 

All road transport vehicle MARs who intend to sell EVs may apply for recognition, by submitting a complete application to the Energy Utilization Management Bureau (“EUMB”), either through email or through the online platform that will be developed by the EUMB. As to the documentary requirements for the recognition of EVs, all road transport vehicle MARs must submit: (i) Notice to the DOE through the EUMB, and (ii) duly accomplished Specification Form. If the application is approved, the EV will be included in the official EV listing/database. Such database will be used to determine which EVs are eligible for the incentives provided in EVIDA and will be updated regularly. However, EVs which are not marketed for a period of 90 calendar days will be delisted.
For more detailed information on the application and processing for EV Recognition, the full Circular may be accessed here.