First ‘In-Mall’ e-vehicle charging stations in Cebu are at SM City, SM Seaside

CEBU CITY – The first ‘In-Mall’ e-vehicle (EV) charging stations in Cebu are located at SM City and SM Seaside in Cebu City from an initial rollout in 2022 so shoppers and travelers can charge their e-vehicles, in line with SM Supermall’s commitment to create a safe and greener future for all.

“Today, we launch the first free in-mall charging stations in Cebu for both SM City Cebu and Seaside.  In 2022, 15 EV Charging stations in Metro Manila and one in SM Baguio were made available for shoppers. These stations allowed shoppers to conveniently charge their e-vehicles for free,” SM regional operations manager Antonio Jayme del Prado said in his opening statements during the event launch at SM Seaside on February 7.

Del Prado said that in pursuit of continuously providing wonderful experiences for everyone, and in its commitment to a safe and greener future for all, SM Supermalls embraces innovation with its facilities and offerings, by deployment of E-Vehicle Charging Stations across the country.

He added that the EV charging station is located at the 3rd level multi-level parking of SM City Cebu, and at the 2nd level, Mountain Wing near ramp 3 of SM Seaside City Cebu.  The charging stations are open daily during mall hours. “And the good news is, charging your e-Vehicle at SM is FREE!”

Inez Cahigas of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expressed DTI’s full support to endeavors and all programs that lessen carbon footprint and sustainability advocacy.  She lauded SM Supermalls for embarking on this e-vehicle charging stations in the malls for the convenience of shoppers.

Rino Dominic Cabungcal, Science Research Analyst of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Regional Office VII thanked the organizers for this significant step toward sustainable development to reduce carbon footprint and address air pollution in the country.

“The transportation sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, which affects our health, the environment, and the planet as a whole. The adoption of electric vehicles is one of the key solutions to this challenge, and electric vehicle charging stations play a crucial role in making this transition possible,” Cabungcal said.

He added that in recent years there has been a big increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road, and this trend is only expected to continue as technology advances and becomes more affordable.

“However, to truly make electric vehicles a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, we need a user-friendly charging infrastructure that is accessible and convenient to use,” Cabungcal said.

The ‘In-Mall’ e-vehicle charging station

SM Supermalls is the first mall chain to establish in-mall e-Vehicle charging sites in the Philippines with multiple installed chargers in 27 malls nationwide.  Since 2022, SM Supermalls has made traveling anywhere in a sustainable and worry-free way is possible!

This initiative supports The SM Green Movement that enables more Filipinos to make sustainable lifestyle choices including having e-Vehicles. It also promotes the use of a more sustainable and cleaner alternative form of transportation that is supported, encouraged, and made even more accessible by the government.

Each SM mall will have one Wallbox Pulsar Plus AC charger with charging power of up to 7.4kW and a 5m integrated charging cable.  It is compatible with all Type 2 electric cars including Audi e-tron, BMW i3, Hyundai Ioniq, Jaguar, Kia, Range Rover, Renault Zoe, Mercedes Benz EQC, Mini Countryman, Porsche Taycan, Tesla, Volkswagen, Volvo XC T8, as well as Japanese cars Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi Outlander, and China cars such as BYD, Weltmeister, and Chery.

To know more about SM Supermalls’ EV Charging Stations, check out this link. Visit www.smsupermalls.com and follow @smsupermalls on all social media platforms for news and updates on exciting deals and promos.

According to SM, these charging stations are a result of SM Supermalls’ partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to accelerate the government’s sustainability initiatives. (Photos: MCNewman)