GOGORO Philippines, a joint venture between Globe Telecom Inc.'s 917Ventures, parent firm Ayala Corp. and Taiwan's Gogoro Inc., is looking to make its smart scooters more affordable to consumers through prepaid offerings.

The firm will introduce new prepaid energy plans without a lockup period to make its two-wheel battery-swapping ecosystem more accessible to a wider population.

The joint venture also plans to introduce more affordable financing options, to be followed by budget-friendly scooter models in the third quarter of this year.

"We hear you, and we will soon respond to this clamor as we complete the other critical components of the ecosystem. We're finding the price to speak for your budget," Gogoro Philippines President and CEO Bernie Llamzon said.

Globe claimed that since a commercial launch in December 2023, Gogoro Philippines had established itself as a premium brand initially focused on the upper socioeconomic segment but was now expanding its scope given growing interest from other market segments.

Gogoro is also expanding its network of GoStations to ensure that customers can enjoy uninterrupted rides without worrying about running out of battery.

From just five GoStations in 2023, Gogoro has added nine more within Metro Manila and plans to launch another seven before the quarter ends.

Gogoro is gearing up for expansion, targeting areas in North and Central Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, to make electric mobility available to more Filipinos.

Globe's share price fell by P29 to close at P1,941 apiece, while Ayala Corp. fell by 50 centavos to P594.50 on Monday.