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 episode of Quick Charge, we look into a new study revealing that Toyota outspends all other automakers when it comes to funding climate change denying politicians and Fred accuses Elon of misrepresenting the data behind Full Self Driving (again).
We’ve also got word that the recently redesigned Tesla Model Y is being built in Giga Berlin, Hyundai’s electrified lineup is leading a record export year for the brand, and a new study says cleantech investments will beat out conventional energy production for the first time in 2025.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!
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Amazon is adding over 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric semi trucks to its fleet later this year – its largest-ever order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs).
Amazon’s new electric semi trucks
These electric trucks will handle high-mileage routes across the UK and Germany, moving trailers between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery stations.
The new eHGVs are expected to transport more than 350 million packages annually once fully operational.
Amazon is installing 360kW charging stations at key sites capable of powering the 40-tonne trucks from 20-80% in just over an hour. The company is also working with stakeholders to establish external charging locations to support longer routes.
The eActros 600 is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ flagship electric long-hauler, with a battery capacity of more than 600 kWh and a range of 310 miles (500 km). Production of the eActros 600s recently began at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Wörth, Germany.
Sustainable delivery across Europe
In the UK, Amazon has begun using the electric rail network for package transport at scale. It’s also rolling out on-foot delivery options in London, with associates using carts that can be restocked from nearby vans. In Germany, Amazon doubled its fleet of Rivian electric delivery vans to over 600, and electric cargo bikes delivered more than 1.5 million packages in Berlin alone last year.
By the end of 2024, Amazon plans to expand its micromobility hubs – locations supporting deliveries by foot and cargo bike – to Germany’s five largest cities and beyond. Across Europe, the company is investing more than €1 billion to further electrify and decarbonize its transportation network.
Amazon’s European network already includes 38 eHGVs, with 50 electric semis recently deployed in California. The company’s fleet of electric delivery vans in Europe has grown to over 3,000 and is expected to surpass 10,000 by the end of 2025. Micromobility hubs have also expanded from 20 cities in 2022 to more than 45 by the end of 2024, including new additions in Belfast, Madrid, Rome, and Vienna.
Electrek’s Take
Amazon says its latest electric semi truck order aligns with The Climate Pledge it announced in 2019, in which the company committed to achieving net zero across its operations by 2040. While The Climate Pledge initiative has garnered praise, it has also faced criticism and skepticism regarding its effectiveness and transparency.
In 2020, Amazon faced allegations of retaliating against employees who spoke out about the company’s environmental policies. The National Labor Relations Board found that Amazon had illegally fired workers who advocated for climate action and better safety measures.
Amazon is also donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Trump is a climate change denier who actively opposes renewables, and not just in the US. Earlier this month Trump demanded that the British government open up the North Sea to fossil fuel drilling and get rid of “windmills.”
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If you thought the current GV60 looked pretty inside, wait until you see the updated model. Genesis unveiled the new GV60 earlier this month, its first major redesign since launching in 2021. Here’s our first look at the interior of the new Genesis GV60.
Genesis GV60 interior gets an upgrade in the new model
Genesis launched the GV60 in October 2021 as its first dedicated EV. Less than four years later, the luxury electric SUV is already getting a new look.
The luxury brand unveiled the new GV60 last week for the first time. One of the biggest updates is to the front end.
Although the GV60 is already a sporty-looking EV, the redesigned front bumper with a new 3-D shape takes it up another level. Then, add the signature Genesis Two Line headlamps with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, and the refreshed GV60 is a head turner.
The revamped model now features 21″ wheels with a new five-spoke design, complementing its wide, low stance.
Inside, the upgraded GV60 features its new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) infotainment system. The design “eliminates the bezel” between the driver display and infotainment screens.
The new Genesis GV60 interior also gains a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel for an even more sporty feel while you’re in the cockpit. Other popular features from the outgoing model, like the Crystal Sphere shift-by-wire system, are still included.
After revealing the updated model for the first time last week, we are already getting a look at the redesigned interior.
A new video from Korea’s HealerTV gives us our first look at the Genesis GV60 interior in a new blue color. Although the reporter initially thought it was a performance model, he noted it was just a new color option. Other added design elements, like the large quilting pattern on the side panels, give it that Bentley or Rolls-Royce feel.
Last week, HealerTV posted a video revealing the first look at the updated Genesis GV60 exterior design. You can see the redesigned front and rear bumpers add to the GV60’s already impressive look.
In the US, the 2025 Genesis GV60 starts at $52,350. A new AWD trim was introduced this year, starting at $55,850.
The current mode gets up to 294 miles driving range, but a bigger battery is expected to push that number closer to 300 miles in the 2025MY. It’s expected to feature the same 84 kWh battery as the updated 2025 IONIQ 5, which provides up to 318 miles range. That’s up from 303 miles in the previous model with a 77.4 kWh battery.
2025 Genesis GV60 trim
Range (EPA-est)
Starting Price*
Standard RWD
294 miles
$52,350
Standard AWD
264 miles
$55,850
Advanced AWD
248 miles
$60,900
Performance AWD
235 miles
$69,900
2025 Genesis GV60 prices and range by trim (*excluding $1,350 destination fee)
Genesis will launch the updated GV60 in Korea in the first quarter of the year, with overseas markets following shortly after. Check back for more info, including prices and specs, closer to launch.
What do you think about the new GV60 design? Do you like the changes? What would you change? Let us know in the comments below.