Top Line Business Development Corp. is moving beyond traditional fuel retailing as it prepares to roll out electric vehicle charging and battery-swapping stations across parts of Cebu, signaling how fuel retailers are beginning to adapt to the Philippines’ slowly expanding EV market.
The company, through subsidiary Light Fuels Corp. and affiliate firms Vikingland Corp. and Pier Eighty-Eight Ventures Inc., signed a partnership with Vietnamese EV infrastructure firm V-Green Charging Stations Philippines Inc to develop EV charging and VinFast e-scooter battery-swapping facilities in the Visayas.
Under the agreement, the Topline Group will allocate spaces for EV infrastructure in six Light Fuels stations across Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, including sites at Pier88 and Bay Mall in Liloan.
“This strategic move aims to make our core fuel business future-ready in the current energy landscape,” said Brigitte Carmel C. Lapasaran Lim, Topline senior vice president and chief operating officer. “By building a multi-energy platform today, we are laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and inclusive transport ecosystem in the years ahead.”
Commercial operations are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026, subject to final agreements. Each station will feature one to two EV charging bays using the Department of Energy-mandated CCS2 charging standard, with each bay capable of serving up to 20 vehicles daily. Charging time is estimated at around 45 minutes per vehicle.
Battery-swapping stations for VinFast electric scooters will also be installed, allowing riders to exchange depleted batteries for fully charged units within minutes.
The expansion comes as EV adoption in Central Visayas accelerates from a low base. Data from the Land Transportation Office showed battery electric vehicle registrations in the region jumped from 105 units in 2024 to 822 units in 2025.
Analysts said partnerships between fuel retailers and EV infrastructure providers could become increasingly common as companies position themselves for the gradual transition toward cleaner mobility while maintaining traditional fuel operations.
Topline currently operates 18 fuel stations, with 32 more under construction or renovation and scheduled for phased completion by end-2026.
