Vehicle sales recovered strongly in May after slumping to near-pandemic levels in April, with growing demand for electrified vehicles helping lift the market despite ongoing economic and geopolitical headwinds.
Members of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) sold 33,532 units in May, up 24 percent from April as buyers returned to showrooms following a traditionally softer holiday period.
While the month-on-month rebound points to improving consumer sentiment, the industry remains below last year’s pace. May sales were 16 percent lower than the 39,775 units recorded in the same month in 2025, bringing total industry sales for the first five months of 2026 to 167,324 units, down 12 percent from a year earlier.
The standout story, however, continues to be the rapid rise of electrified vehicles.
CAMPI President Jose Maria Atienza said sales of electrified vehicles, or xEVs, have more than doubled this year as consumers increasingly prioritize fuel efficiency and long-term operating costs.
“We continue to observe expanding demand for various types of electrified vehicles, with cumulative January-May sales already doubling versus last year. xEVs now account for 18 percent of the total market, up by nine percentage points from the previous year,” Atienza said.
From January to May, xEV sales surged 133 percent to 29,356 units from 12,451 units a year earlier. Hybrid electric vehicles remained the dominant segment with 15,299 units sold, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicles posted the fastest growth, soaring more than 3,100 percent to 3,853 units from just 118 units in the comparable period.
The figures suggest that electrification is moving beyond a niche segment and becoming a meaningful driver of industry growth. Although internal combustion engine vehicles still account for the majority of sales, hybrids and other electrified models are steadily gaining market share as automakers expand their offerings.
Atienza said improved fuel price stability also helped support demand for conventional vehicles, with internal combustion engine sales rising 32 percent from April.
Toyota Motor Philippines remained the market leader in May with 17,076 units sold, followed by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines with 5,415 units. Suzuki, Ford, and Isuzu rounded out the top five.
Despite a weaker year-to-date performance, the industry’s recovery in May and the accelerating shift toward electrified vehicles point to a market gradually regaining momentum.
