The Elektron Is the Jeepney Brand’s First EV
Francisco Motors started in 1947 in Zapote, Manila, as a small painting and body building shop under founder Anastacio Francisco, then grew into the manufacturer behind the country’s jeepneys. On July 27, the company added an EV to that lineup.
The company officially unveiled the Elektron, its first fully electric passenger vehicle, through an online launch on Jeepney.io rather than a traditional dealership event. It is a five door compact crossover SUV with 450 liters of cargo space, slim front lighting, and a full width rear light bar.
Three Variants, Built Around Range
The Elektron comes in three trims.
The Basic runs a single motor with a 54.9 kWh LFP battery, an estimated 400km range, and a top speed of 160 km/h. The Fashion steps up to a 63.2 kWh pack with more than 500km of range, matching the Basic’s 160 km/h top speed. The Deluxe tops the lineup with dual motors, all wheel drive, and an 81.5 kWh battery, and it is the only trim with a published performance profile: <cite index=”7-1″>over 600 km range, delivering up to 340 kW power, 640 Nm torque, 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, and a 180 km/h top speed</cite>.
The Cabin Gets Most of the Upgrades
Every Elektron trim gets a digital instrument cluster, a central touchscreen, and a rotary controller on the center console. Buyers can add multicolor ambient lighting, dual zone climate control, wireless phone charging, USB-C ports, a fixed panoramic roof, and a power adjustable driver’s seat. The Basic ships with a four speaker system, the Fashion gets nine speakers, and the Deluxe gets ten. Sources describe an additional layer of cabin tech without specifying which trim it applies to: a dual 12.3 inch display setup, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated and ventilated front seats with memory function, and an Advanced Driver Assistance System.
The Charging Numbers Come With Gaps
Francisco Motors’ own materials advertise a flat 30 minute fast charge time on a CCS2 connection across all three trims. TechTimes ran its own calculation for the Deluxe’s 81.5 kWh pack on a 100 to 150 kW DC charger, the range typical of Philippine CCS2 installations, and landed on 35 to 50 minutes for the 20 to 80 percent window, noticeably longer than the company’s own figure. The company has also pointed to a 1 MW “Flash Charging” system built on its DOMENG AI platform, but has not released the infrastructure details behind it. CCS2 is not compatible with the GB/T standard used by some BYD models sold locally, a practical detail for households or fleets running mixed EV brands.
How to Reserve One
The Elektron’s range topping Deluxe variant is listed at ₱1,947,000, roughly $32,000 USD at July 2026 exchange rates. Francisco Motors opened its Founder Orbit reservation program alongside the launch, limiting the initial batch to 1,947 reservation slots at a ₱1,947 fee, a nod to the year the company was founded</cite>. Interested buyers reserve through Jeepney.io, which will also handle sales, maintenance requests, and repair scheduling once the vehicle rolls out.
The Elektron carries an eight year or 150,000km warranty, whichever comes first, covering the battery, motors, and drive electronics. It also supports over the air updates through Elektron Care, covering software updates, security patches, and interface improvements.
Francisco Motors has not confirmed a Philippine delivery date or named a platform partner. Local production is targeted for 2028.
