Oil shock is turning Filipinos electric: EV sales jump 300%, even as overall car market shrinks
Manila: The Philippine auto market is slowing, but one part of the industry is accelerating sharply: electric vehicles (EVs). Overall vehicle sales fell 10.2% year-on-year to 241,725 units in January-July 2026, according to data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA). But sales of electrified vehicles — hybrids, plug-in…
The Philippine auto market is experiencing a significant shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), despite an overall decline in vehicle sales. According to data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA), overall vehicle sales fell by 10.2% year-on-year to 241,725 units in the first half of 2026.
However, electrified vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric vehicles, saw a remarkable 136.4% increase in sales to 38,286 units, accounting for more than double the share of total sales at 15.84%. Pure-EV sales have quadrupled during this period. The rise in fuel prices due to the Middle East war has prompted Filipino motorists to reconsider the economics of gasoline and diesel, leading to a surge in EV adoption.
Engr. Willy Q. Tee Ten, a prominent figure in the Philippine automotive industry, attributes the shift to the increasing fuel costs, which have made EVs more economically viable for consumers. The government and industry are now urged to expand charging infrastructure to support the growing demand for electric mobility.
Brief written by urgent.news from Gulf News's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
