Gogoro continues its international expansion by adding the Philippines to its growing base of operations. The battery-swapping leader and its local partners just announced the impending rollout of its smart electric scooters and battery-swapping network in the island nation.
Gogoro is a Taiwan-based company founded in 2011 that primarily focuses on the development and distribution of smart electric scooters and the production and management of battery-swapping infrastructure.
Central to Gogoro’s operations is its innovative battery-swapping system, the Gogoro Energy Network, which allows users to quickly and conveniently replace depleted batteries with fully charged ones at designated swap stations. This system not only streamlines the scooter ownership experience but also aims to reduce urban pollution and promote sustainable transportation.
The system is ideal in densely populated urban areas where two-wheelers are a common form of transportation, yet where charging options are few and far between.
We first heard that Gogoro planned to enter the Philippines market late last year. Now the company along with its partners have announced that the rollout will happen in the last quarter of this year.
Leading Filipino digital solutions platform Globe Group’s 917Ventures and top Philippine conglomerate Ayala Corporation joined Gogoro in a ceremony at Globe’s headquarters to announce public availability of Gogoro’s electric scooters in Metro Manila by Q4 2023.
As Globe Group president and CEO Ernest Cu explained:
We in the Globe Group are very proud to bring Gogoro Smartscooters and battery-swapping to the Philippines, a transport ecosystem that marries mobility innovation and sustainability. This year, Filipinos will have access to these electric two wheel vehicles and Gogoro’s convenient and cost-efficient battery-swapping technology, another first in the Philippines.
Gogoro’s technology is seen as a major advantage over traditional combustion engine scooters as well as modern electric scooters that require home charging. While Gogoro’s scooters have the option of being charged at home with an accessory charger, the vast majority of users prefer the ability to swap batteries on the go using the company’s network of swap stations. This essentially “recharges” the scooter in seconds instead of hours, allowing riders to continue on their way in a fraction of the time it would take to refill a combustion engine scooter’s fuel tank.
By targeting countries with large amounts of polluting two-wheeled vehicles on the road, Gogoro is hoping to quickly change the transportation landscape and replace those fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
Gogoro’s CEO and founder Horace Luke discussed how important the international expansion of Gogoro’s technology is for achieving the company’s goal of making a massive reduction in transportation-related pollution contributing to global climate change.
As Horace Luke explained:
Our partnership with the Globe Group and Ayala Corporation in the Philippines is a major milestone in our mission to transform urban transportation and provide an accessible path for riders to adopt sustainable urban mobility and play a key role in battling climate change and making the world better for all. We look forward to working together to deliver a sustainable transport system that will improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, and provide a superior riding experience for consumers in the Philippines.
Gogoro’s main market in Taiwan served as the company’s proving grounds, demonstrating the success of the company’s model. There the battery-swapping giant oversees around 350,000 battery swaps each day and counts a subscriber base of over half a million riders. Its vast network of thousands of battery swap stations known as GoStations also serve as virtual power plants that can help stabilize the national energy grid during times of peak demand.
After nearly a decade of operations in Taiwan, the company has spent the last few years drastically expanding its base of operations. In addition to Taiwan and the new Philippines market, Gogoro is also operating in China, India, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, and Israel.
While the company is continuing to grow in its new markets, Gogoro still maintains impressive dominance its home market of Taiwan. There over 90% of electric scooters on the road use Gogoro’s batteries, though not all of those scooters are built by Gogoro. The company works with over a dozen other scooter and motorcycle manufacturers as part of the Powered By Gogoro network that lets OEMs develop scooters that accept Gogoro’s powertrain. That helps other companies leapfrog their own electric scooter development by removing the costly and complicated process of developing an electric scooter or motorcycle powertrain.
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On today’s extreme episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the most affordable new EV in America packing 255 miles of range, sub-30 minute charging, V2H support, and more – all that for a price about $10,000 LESS than that new “affordable” Tesla.
We’ve also got specs for the all-new, all-electric Ferrari Elettrica and a world’s first, hydrogen-powered autonomous farm tractor from Kubota.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Momentum, the lifestyle-focused urban bike brand under Giant Group, has just launched the latest version of its popular Vida E+ electric bike – and this one’s all about making e-biking smoother, safer, and more accessible to riders of all experience levels.
The updated Vida E+ features a new 500W SyncDrive Move S motor offering 60Nm of torque and pedal assist up to 28 mph, designed to provide natural-feeling power whether you’re cruising to work or just exploring around town. The system uses a combination of sensors to analyze torque, speed, and cadence, automatically adjusting power output to match your pedaling effort.
According to Momentum, the motor engages with as little as 4Nm of pedal pressure and just 10° of crank movement, giving riders what they describe as an ultra-smooth and effortless start every time.
A new optional throttle adds another layer of convenience, letting riders cruise at speeds up to 20 mph without pedaling, which should be perfect for hills, traffic-heavy starts, or when you just want to relax and take it easy on the way home. The bike’s EnergyPak 700 battery provides up to a claimed 55 miles (88 km) of range on pedal assist or 43 miles (69 km) on throttle-only riding.
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The Vida E+ also leans hard into comfort and safety. It sports a low-step aluminum frame for easy on-and-off, an 80 mm suspension fork, and wide 26×2.4-inch tires for stability and plushness. Four-piston hydraulic disc brakes ensure solid stopping power, while a new automatic motor cutoff feature stops assistance as soon as the brakes engage. The bike is UL 2849 certified, meaning it meets top-tier safety standards for batteries and electronics, which is a growing priority in the e-bike world as more cities and states consider requiring safety certification as a prerequisite.
With support for up to 300 pounds (136 kg) total load and optional racks front and rear, the Vida E+ is also built for everyday utility. And on the tech side, momentum’s RideControl app lets riders fine-tune speed and assistance, lock or unlock the bike electronically, and monitor battery health.
VW’s US EV lease deals just went from hero to zero. Federal tax credits are now dead, the automaker has wiped out up to $12,000 in lease incentives on the ID.4, and ended $10,500 in discounts on the ID. Buzz. The move bucks the trend as other brands continue to sweeten their EV lease offers.
As of September 30, 2025, Volkswagen offered up to $12,350 in lease cash on the ID.4, depending on configuration. That included a $7,500 federal lease tax credit for lessees as Bonus Customer Cash, plus $3,500 to $4,850 in Dealer Lease Cash. It made the ID.4 one of the top EV lease deals around.
On October 1, those incentives vanished. While the ID.4 still has a 0% APR equivalent lease rate, drivers lost more than $12,000 in savings overnight. The ID. Buzz took a similar hit. Last month, the 2025 ID. Buzz offered $10,500 off MSRP between the $7,500 tax credit and $3,000 Dealer Lease Cash. Now, almost all lease cash is gone. VW Credit is offering just $750 in Dealer Lease Cash, and weirdly, not on models with two-tone paint. According to CarsDirect’s lease calculator, the lowest-priced ID. Buzz trim now carries an effective monthly cost topping $1,000 — a considerable jump.
For comparison, the ID. Buzz Pro S was previously advertised at $589 a month for 36 months with $5,999 due at signing, or an effective monthly cost of $756.
The ID.4 lease once cost just $233 a month, making it one of the cheapest EVs to lease. According to updated estimates, that figure is now north of $800 – that’s hair-raising.
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Meanwhile, VW’s rivals are going in the opposite direction. Ford extended its Mustang Mach-E lease deals through early January. Subaru’s updated 2026 Solterra still qualifies for the $7,500 lease credit, and Jeep replaced the expiring EV lease credit with equivalent bonus cash.
If you really want a Volkswagen, though, there’s some good news: financing deals haven’t changed. The 2025 ID.4 continues to offer 0% APR for 72 months, and buyers of the ID. Buzz can still get up to $3,250 in Bonus Customer Cash through November 3, a perk unavailable to lessees.
It kinda seems like VW doesn’t want to lease their EVs anymore…?? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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