BYD Cars Philippines expects the country’s electric vehicle market to maintain its rapid growth, but says the next phase of expansion will hinge on how quickly the government and private sector can build charging infrastructure.
Speaking during the launch of the all-new BYD Atto 2 SUV and the refreshed Seal 5 DM-i sedan, BYD Cars Philippines Managing Director Bob Palanca said rising consumer acceptance of electrified vehicles and continued government support are creating favorable conditions for the industry.
“You heard the SONA. The President is actually encouraging the market. So that’s positive feedback for us who are in the NEV space,” Palanca said, referring to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to promoting electric mobility.
The optimism comes as new energy vehicles (NEVs), which include battery electric and hybrid models, accounted for 22.3 percent of Philippine vehicle sales in the first half of the year, signaling that electrified mobility is steadily moving into the mainstream.
Palanca said BYD rode the industry’s strong first-quarter momentum as buyers increasingly shifted toward electrified vehicles while demand for traditional internal combustion engine models softened.
Still, he said sustained growth will require infrastructure to keep pace with vehicle sales.
“I think the government should participate in expanding the EV infrastructure,” Palanca said. “At the same time, I think the government should be able to assist companies in fast-tracking our permitting with certain LGUs as we set up the charging infrastructure.”
The permitting process has emerged as a key bottleneck as charging networks expand. AC Mobility currently operates about 500 charging points across 200 locations nationwide, but industry players say a broader and faster rollout is needed to ease range anxiety and support wider EV adoption.
Palanca said BYD has ample vehicle inventory to meet demand, with supply no longer a constraint for buyers.
Despite incentives under the government’s Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy, BYD is not considering local manufacturing for now, with Palanca saying domestic production is “not part of our vision at this point in time,” underscoring that the company’s immediate priority is growing the Philippine market through sales and infrastructure expansion.
