Local car dealer AC Motors, owned by one of the Philippines‘ largest conglomerates Ayala Group, has reportedly inked a distribution agreement with China’s BYD.
The Group expects this significant partnership to expand its electric vehicle ecosystem. Moreover, it made the company the country’s official distributor of BYD EVs.
AC Motors will distribute the following BYD EV models throughout various dealerships in the Philippines: BYD Han e-sedan, the 7-seater SUV BYD Tang, and the compact hatchback BYD Dolphin. It is also planning to include the BYD Atto 3 by the end of the year.
AC Motors to promote EV uptake in the PH
The distribution agreement between the two companies enabled AC Motors to deploy and market BYD’s EVs to Filipino customers. It can also assign dealers to distribute electric cars from BYD.
AC Motors Head Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala announced plans to employ more resources and promote EV technology in the country.
“When we look at our portfolio, we understand this is not a transition that will happen overnight. Certainly we think it will happen a lot faster than we imagine. We see a product now that can enable the ecosystem that Ayala has developing for some years now. I talked about previously, developing capabilities in energy management, that’s a key input involved in creating longer term value for the customers once they purchase the vehicle. We believe that this is a vehicle that now embodies more of a lifestyle than the traditional (internal combustion engines).”
Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, AC Motors Head
Mr. Zobel further expressed his delight in accelerating the EV transition in the Philippines. He also cited the Group’s prediction that 10% of new vehicle sales in the country will be battery-powered models.
“I think within the next 5-7 years, our forecasts show that we expect about 10-20 percent of new vehicles sold to be battery-electric vehicles. That is a tremendous development if you think about the scale of our automotive business right now.”
Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, AC Motors Head
See Also:
- BYD plans to produce EVs in Vietnam in SE Asia push
- Three Southeast Asian countries are competing for China’s BYD plant
- Tesla vehicles finally arrive in the Philippine market thanks to an EV importer
- Changan to develop a new EV production plant in Thailand
- Southeast Asia lags in terms of electric vehicle adoptions
Such partnerships are indeed remarkable progress in the Philippines’ EV industry. It will undoubtedly attract more local customers to consider the shift toward more sustainable mobility. Moreover, it allows BYD to tap into an emerging EV market.
AC Motors reportedly aims to launch 12 BYD dealerships across Metro Manila in the following 12 months. It will gradually increase to more than 40 dealerships as the years pass.
