Chinese electric vehicle brand enters Cebu market

CEBU, Philippines — Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brand BYD (Build Your Dream) has entered the Cebu market anticipating the rising demand for environment-friendly transportation solutions.

Ayala Corporation, through AC Motors, the exclusive distributor for the Philippines, has signed a partnership deal with Cebuano-owned automotive dealer Global Star Motors Corporation led by its President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Edward Vincent Onglatco to bring in an array of EV units to Cebu at the BYD Cars Cebu showroom on A.S. Fortuna, Banilad, Cebu City.

“Our vision goes beyond cars. It’s about a greener future for generations to come. As a business leader, I take pride in contributing to a sustainable movement with my business partners and my Global Star family,” said Onglatco during the formal launching of the BYD Showroom in Cebu.

BYD is one of the world’s leading new energy vehicles. The access of Cebuanos to sleek, can-be-charged-at-home EVs is seen to start the shift to a greener lifestyle and boost the green movement stance of Cebuanos, Onglatco said.

According to Onglatco, his company aims to increase awareness about the benefits of  EV ownership especially with the growing global acceptance of EVs amid mounting pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which helps combat climate change and improve air quality. EVs also have lower fuel and maintenance costs than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, resulting in long-term savings for owners.

A fully charged BYD car can easily cover a round trip from Metro Cebu to the northern or southern tip and still have about one-third of the battery still available.

In preparation for the expected surge in EV ownership, Onglatco mentioned that the Ayala Group is building its first fast-charging station at the BYD Cebu Cars facility. In collaboration with his company, this effort complements the two existing public charging stations already operational at the showroom.

While EV penetration in the Philippines is still very low, AC Motors president Antonio Zara believes EV ownership will shoot up this year.

In neighboring Asian countries EV adoption is already at the double-digit level. China for instance is hitting at 50 percent, while Thailand is reaching 10 percent.

Zara said the entry of BYD in the Philippines, with its competitive price ranges will help the country accelerate the adoption to green transportation solutions.

“The Philippines has no choice but to transition to EV,” Zara said.

Among ASEAN countries, the Philippines ranked fourth in terms of sales with Indonesia at the top followed by Thailand, and Vietnam.

The government is also accelerating the roll-out of EV charging stations. As of November 2022, there are only 900 units of EV chargers in the country but the target is to build this up to 10,000 units by 2025.

According to Department of Energy (DOE) undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella, only 0.001 percent of registered vehicles in the country are electric-powered

In a report, Fuentebella said the government has raised the EV penetration target to 50 percent from 10 percent by 2040.

Zara said the country’s EV industry is eyeing 5,000 units to be sold in 2024, of which AC Motors wants to capture 35 percent of the passenger EV sales.

In the first quarter of this year, BYD in the Philippines has already sold 330 units, which accounts for 60 percent of the total EV sales.

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines forecasts EV sales to reach around 6.6 million units by 2030.

BYD Price Range

BYD Dolphin electric urban hatchback model is priced at P1.448 million with a range of 405 kilometers. The BYD Atto 3 subcompact electric crossover (P1.848 million with a range of 480 kilometers). While, the BYD Han flagship electric sports sedan (P3.163 million with a range of 521 kilometers).

The BYD Tang electric seven-seat sports utility vehicle (P3.371 million with a range of 530 kilometers).

Each BYD vehicle is equipped with a wall home charger, a portable charger, and a vehicle-to-load adapter, enabling the EV to function as a power backup system.