How a Philippine E-Trike Manufacturer Accelerated Battery Production with a High-Capacity Prismatic Cell Assembly Line

CASE STUDY

Date: June 08, 2026
Location: Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales, Philippines
Main Character: Mr. Rafael Dimagiba, Chief Operating Officer of a leading electric three-wheeler (e-trike) assembly firm.

Background & Local Demand

In 2026, the Philippine government saw a 2.5-fold increase in electric vehicle (EV) registered units, reaching 60,906, with hybrid and electric vehicle sales representing 6.68% of the total automotive market. Under the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) and the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI), the country aims to roll out up to 9 million EVs, targeting 2.45 million by 2028 alone.

However, for local manufacturers trying to supply this massive shift, a glaring obstacle remained: the battery bottleneck. Importing finished battery packs from overseas was expensive and faced long lead times. Meanwhile, the Philippines’ aggressive push to localize production—supported by incentives poised to attract ₱120 billion in investments—meant that local assemblers needed to internalize the production of prismatic battery packs to stay competitive.

The Catalyst: Mr. Rafael Dimagiba

Based in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone—a region historically known for logistics but rapidly transforming into a technology and manufacturing hub—Mr. Rafael Dimagiba faced a production crisis. His company had successfully secured contracts to supply 15,000 e-trikes to local government units (LGUs) under the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. Yet, the assembly of the prismatic lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery packs needed to power these trikes was too slow, inconsistent, and prone to error when done manually.

The tropical environment of the Philippines added another layer of difficulty: high humidity and ambient temperatures threatened the consistency of lithium battery production. Traditional manual sorting and testing led to a 15% rejection rate, delaying deliveries and driving up costs.

The Implementation

To resolve this, in May 2026, Mr. Dimagiba’s technical team integrated a semi-automatic prismatic cell battery pack assembly line into their 3,000-square-meter production facility in Subic. The new system included the following core equipment:

• Single Prismatic Cell Capacity Testing Machine – To ensure only top-tier cells entered production.

• 8-Channel Prismatic Cell Sorting Machine – High-speed grouping to match internal resistance and voltage.

• Laser Cleaning & Laser Welding Machines – Precision joining of busbars and terminals, eliminating physical contact errors.

• BMS Testing Machine – Crucial for the safety of battery packs used in passenger e-trikes.

• Battery Pack Comprehensive Tester & Aging Machine – Ensuring durability under high-load use.

Overcoming Local Challenges

The integration was not simply "plug and play." The facility’s location near the shoreline of Subic Bay meant corrosive saline air, which required the installation of filtered climate control systems around the assembly line to protect sensitive electronic welders and testers. Furthermore, to combat brownouts (common in the region), the company utilized a solar-battery hybrid microgrid to stabilize power for the laser welding units, ensuring zero downtime during peak afternoon cuts.

The Results (As of June 2025)

Within eight weeks of commissioning, the results were transformative:

• Capacity Boost: Daily prismatic battery pack output increased from 45 units to 210 units.

• Quality Improvement: Rejection rates dropped from 15% to less than 3%, with the automated sorting machine effectively handling cell variations that previously required manual rework.

• Cost Efficiency: The cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of assembled packs dropped by 30%, allowing the company to lower the price of its e-trike fleets, making them accessible to more cooperatives.

• Job Creation: Contrary to fears of automation replacing jobs, the line created 28 new high-skill technician positions for machine programming, maintenance, and quality assurance.

Government Alignment & Future Vision

The success aligns perfectly with the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) EV Incentive Strategy (EVIS), which specifically targets battery production to reduce import dependency. By localizing battery assembly, Mr. Dimagiba's company reduced the nation’s reliance on foreign battery packs, contributing to the DTI’s aim of saving the country up to $30 billion in foreign exchange.