Okay so… I’ve been wanting this for a while now.
Like, a long while. I actually wrote about the NWOW ERV2 back in February last year, back when I was dead serious about getting one.
I had already visited the local NWOW store, done the test drives, gone down the rabbit hole yada yada yada and then my wife said no.
And when the wife says no, well… you know how that goes.
So I shelved it.
Moved on.
Wrote about the Honda BeAT instead. Life went on.
But here we are. She’s starting to come around a little bit. Just a little bit. And I’m taking that as a green light… or at least a blinking yellow. So let me revisit this whole thing properly, because I think it’s time we seriously considered the NWOW ERV2 again. And this time, I want to lay out everything I know about it, from the specs to the company to my very real, very genuine concerns about whether this thing is actually practical for us here in Davao.
Spoiler: I still want it in pink.
First, Who is NWOW?
I’ll be honest, I didn’t know much about NWOW when I first walked into their store.
I just saw the ERV2 on Facebook, thought it was adorable, and wanted to know more.
NWOW stands for “New Windows of the World.” and they’re not really a brand-new company. They’ve actually been operating in the Philippines since around 2010, which is over a decade ago now.
Their formal establishment as a company in the Philippines happened in 2017, founded in Carmona, Cavite by a Mr. Kang Ding Wu.
The products are designed and sourced from China where their main factory is, and then assembled here in the Philippines.
And they’ve been pretty busy as the number one e-bike brand in the Philippines, which… I mean, I can believe that.
I see NWOW stores pretty much everywhere now.
They’ve got over 150 stores across more than 19 dealers nationwide, and they’ve even expanded to Sri Lanka and France.
“NWOW is striving to become the most beloved household vehicle brand among Filipino consumers.” — Liu Mingyong, NWOW China General Manager
They also hold over 110 patents and have an annual production capacity of over 500,000 electric vehicles.
So… they’re not some fly-by-night operation.
The NWOW ERV2
The NWOW ERV2 is… well, it’s a three-wheeled electric tricycle. I guess you could call it an electric trike.
But that description doesn’t do it justice because it looks nothing like a typical Filipino trike.
It looks like a toy.
A very cute, very functional toy.
And that’s a compliment, not an insult.
The ERV2 is the upgraded version of the original ERV.
The original ERV is… honestly a bit more masculine-looking. Spartan. More utilitarian.
The ERV2, on the other hand, looks like it belongs in a Studio Ghibli film.
It’s compact. It’s rounded. It looks like it has a little face.
And yes, it comes in pink.
NWOW ERV2 Full Specifications
| Specification | Details |
| Vehicle Type | Electric Tricycle (3-wheel) |
| Price (SRP) | ₱42,800 |
| Motor | 350W Differential Motor |
| Battery Type | Lead-Acid, 48V / 20Ah |
| Battery Capacity | 1 kWh |
| Maximum Speed | 24–30 km/h |
| Range per Charge | 60–70 km |
| Charging Time | 6–8 hours |
| Load Capacity | 200 kg |
| Unit Weight | 132 kg |
| Length | 1,655 mm |
| Width | 605 mm |
| Height | 1,720 mm |
| Front Suspension | Helical Spring |
| Rear Suspension | Rubber Spring |
| Brakes | Drum (Front & Rear) |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Seating Capacity | 2 persons |
| Headlamp | LED |
| Available Colors | White, Light Blue, Maroon, Pink |
On installment, you can put down Php 10,000 and pay it off over 6, 12, or 18 months. Monthly payment on a 60-month plan works out to around Php 733 per month which… isn’t so bad…
It Looks Like a Toy and I Love That
I’ll say it again… the ERV2 looks like a toy.
It’s small, it’s round, it’s… kawaii, as the Japanese would say.
It’s got this bubble design that just makes you smile when you look at it.
And the pink colorway?
Absolutely adorable.
Some people might see that as a negative thing but for me, I just want something fun and practical for short trips… it’s perfect.
The original NWOW ERV iss more traditional-looking, heavier, more like a proper e-trike. And honestly, if I were going to gigs or doing anything that required looking even slightly tougher, I’d take the ERV over the ERV2.
But for everyday stuff around the city? For taking Lyle to school? For a quick grocery run to the market? The ERV2 all the way.
I imagine pulling up to Lyle’s school in a pink ERV2. He’d probably be embarrassed. Ehehehe…
Fuel prices in the Philippines have been all over the place.
And every time you turn on the news there’s another reason to think that fuel costs aren’t going down anytime soon.
Electric vehicles, even small ones like the ERV2, represent a real alternative.
Especially for short-distance use within the city.
And Davao City, despite how spread out it is, has a lot of short-distance trips that happen every day.
- Going to school.
- Going to the market.
- Getting coffee.
- Running to the pharmacy.
These are all trips that a vehicle like the ERV2 can realistically handle.
The environmental case is real too.
Zero tailpipe emissions means cleaner air.
Plus, the Philippine government does offer incentives for EV adoption. Exemptions from excise taxes and import tariffs make EVs more accessible than they used to be. And electricity, even with the occasional rate increases, is generally still cheaper than gasoline as a fuel source per kilometer.
My Real Concerns About the ERV2
Range
The ERV2 claims a range of 60 to 70 km per charge. And on paper, that sounds great.
But I keep thinking about trips to Calinan. That’s roughly 37 km each way… or about 40 if you’re being generous with the math. That means a round trip is somewhere around 74 to 80 km. And the ERV2 maxes out at 70 km per charge on ideal conditions.
So even if everything goes perfectly… I’m not sure I make it back.
And road conditions in that part of Davao aren’t always ideal.
The ERV2 tops out at 24 to 30 km/h.
Can it sustain that across the whole drive to Calinan and back, uphill and everything?
I don’t know and that worries me.
Not a dealbreaker, but a real consideration.
Charging
Six to eight hours to charge. That’s a significant window. I wonder how this will affect our electricity bill at home. We’re not exactly a low-consumption household as is. Adding an EV charger into the mix… I mean, it’s probably not catastrophic.
But it’s a variable I’d need to account for. Lead-acid batteries are also heavier and generally less efficient than lithium-ion, but they’re cheaper and the ERV2 keeps costs down by using them.
The Speed (or Lack Thereof)
Twenty-four to thirty kilometers per hour. To put that in perspective, a decent cyclist can hit 30 km/h on a good road. I love that the ERV2 is safe and stable, but I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be silently going crazy stuck behind a tricycle that’s going faster than me. I will probably hate this about it. I’m already mentally preparing.
It’s Open to the Elements
Davao sometimes gets a lot of rain. Yeah, yeah, the ERV2 has a roof but you’re still pretty exposed on the sides. Going out in a heavy downpour in this thing is going to be… interesting. Not fun interesting.
Support and Parts
This one is important. NWOW has been around long enough that I’m not super worried about them disappearing, but parts availability and quality of after-sales service in Davao specifically is something I’d want to verify before committing.
The store near us on R. Castillo is convenient, yes, but how fast can they get parts?
How knowledgeable is the service team?
These are questions I’d ask before signing anything.
Is It Practical Enough?
I keep coming back to this. The ERV2 is genuinely best suited for short-distance trips. Within the immediate city.
Barangay to barangay.
Short errands.
It is not a highway vehicle.
If the ERV2 becomes our second or third vehicle for hyper-local use, it makes a lot of sense. If it’s meant to replace a car… it’s not ready for that yet.
The Bao Bao / RUSI Trike Question
Somebody’s definitely going to ask me why I don’t just get a RUSI trike or one of those bao bao type things instead. Fair question. Fair question.
Traditional gas-powered trikes are cheaper upfront and have a much more established service network here in Davao.
Parts are everywhere.
Mechanics are everywhere.
Butit still uses fuel.
Every single trip, fuel.
Long-term, the math shifts in favor of electric.
I just need to make peace with the limitations of the ERV2 before I commit.
ERV2 vs. the Original ERV: How Do They Compare?
| Feature | NWOW ERV | NWOW ERV2 |
| Price | ₱36,000 | ₱42,800 |
| Battery | 46V Lead-Acid | 48V Lead-Acid |
| Range | ~50 km | 60–70 km |
| Top Speed | 24–30 km/h | 24–30 km/h |
| Length | 1,700 mm | 1,655 mm |
| Width | 740 mm | 605 mm |
| Design Vibe | Utilitarian / Tough | Cute / Modern |
| Good for gigs? | More so, yes | Ehh… maybe not |
| Good for school runs? | Yes | Yes, but cuter |
| Pink option? | No | Yes! |
The ERV2 is the more refined, more modern version. It costs a bit more but gives you better range and a design that won’t make people think you’re operating a barangay service vehicle. If I were going to use this to go to gigs, I’d honestly take the ERV because it at least looks like it means business. But for everything else in daily Davao life, the ERV2 wins.
Pros and Cons
The Good Stuff
- Zero emissions, eco-friendly
- Cheap to “fuel” (electricity vs. gasoline)
- Low maintenance — fewer moving parts
- 60–70 km range per charge
- Compact and easy to park
- Automatic transmission — easy to drive
- 200 kg load capacity
- Comes in pink
- Installment available (₱733/month)
- NWOW store available in Davao
The Not-So-Good
- Very slow: max 24–30 km/h
- Open to the elements in rain
- Lead-acid battery (not lithium)
- 6–8 hour charge time
- Not suitable for long distance
- Will affect household electricity bill
- Parts / after-sales unverified in Davao
- Can’t do highway or Calinan reliably
- Might embarrass your kid at school pickup
The NWOW ERV2 is not a car replacement. It’s meant to be a short-distance city commuter vehicle that is fun, eco-friendly, and absolutely adorable.
I think this will work best as a dedicated vehicle for school runs, small errands, and neighborhood-level trips.
Not for highway use.
And definitely not for rainy season without some added weatherproofing on the sides.
But I think I’d still have a lot of fun in it.
It’s just such a delightful little machine. And it comes in pink.
