A Chinese automotive engineering company is exploring a partnership to help develop a Philippine electric vehicle (EV) brand, signaling fresh momentum behind Manila’s drive to localize the country’s fast-growing EV industry.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque met with Shanghai Launch Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. (Launch Design) chairman Wang Xun in Shanghai on May 23, 2026, to discuss strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening the Philippines’ emerging EV ecosystem.
Organized by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center, the meeting reflected a broader shift from simply attracting foreign investment toward building deeper industrial collaboration, including the possible co-development of a Philippine-branded EV line.
Launch Design expressed interest in supporting the creation of a domestic EV brand by leveraging its expertise in vehicle design, engineering, testing, and small-scale manufacturing. The company also discussed plans to help establish local supply chains and support domestic assembly operations in the Philippines.
The Shanghai-based firm highlighted its end-to-end automotive development capabilities, spanning concept planning to mass production. It also cited its work on more than 400 vehicle models and partnerships with global automakers including BYD, Geely, and Toyota.
For the Philippines, the talks align with wider efforts to localize EV production, reduce reliance on imports, and strengthen domestic capabilities in green mobility as demand rises alongside public transport modernization programs and growing consumer interest in cleaner transportation.
Both sides agreed to further explore technology collaboration, industry linkages, and brand development strategies that could help position the Philippines not only as an EV market, but also as a potential regional manufacturing hub.
