Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast is betting that lower ownership costs, rather than sticker prices, will convince Filipino riders to switch from gasoline-powered motorcycles as it races to establish itself as the country’s leading electric scooter brand.
VinFast E-Scooter Philippines CEO Nino Faros said the local electric motorcycle market remains in its early stages, giving the company an opportunity to build a dominant position before a clear market leader emerges.
“Our vision here is to be the number one,” Faros said, noting that the Philippines has around 2 million motorcycle riders across major brands, with scooters accounting for roughly 70 percent of the market.
The company recently introduced its Evo, Feliz II and Viper models and plans to expand its retail footprint to more than 100 three-in-one sales, service and spare parts (3S) dealerships nationwide by the end of 2026.
Rather than competing solely on purchase price, VinFast is centering its strategy on total cost of ownership, arguing that lower fuel and maintenance expenses make electric motorcycles more economical over time.
Faros said that at gasoline prices of about P90 to P95 per liter, a conventional motorcycle consuming one liter every 40 kilometers would spend roughly P180 to travel 80 kilometers. An electric motorcycle could cover the same distance for about P22 in charging costs, based on the company’s estimates.
“Let’s not focus on the MSRP alone. What I’m mentioning to you is the long-term TCO over a five-year period,” he said.
VinFast estimates its electric motorcycles can cut operating costs by as much as 80 percent, reduce maintenance requirements by up to 90 percent and generate savings of as much as P150,680 over five years.
The company believes those savings could resonate with delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers and other Filipinos who rely on motorcycles for their daily income, particularly as fuel costs remain elevated.
Backed by what Faros described as thousands of pre-orders even before units reached dealerships, VinFast sees growing consumer appetite for lower-cost electric mobility, signaling that affordability over the long run may become a key battleground in the Philippines’ emerging electric two-wheeler market.
