BYD Banks on PH EV Infrastructure Expansion, Seeks Gov't Support

MANILA, Philippines — China-based electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD is banking on the expansion of the charging network being built by its Philippine partner, AC Mobility, to support its growing domestic footprint. According to Bob Palanca, managing director of BYD Cars Philippines, the company is targeting about 500 charging points by the end of 2026. That means AC Mobility, the mobility arm of the Ayala Group, will have to more than double its current network of over 200 charging points. But Palanca stressed that BYD, AC Mobility and the rest of the EV industry should not have to shoulder the expansion alone. “I think the government should participate in expanding the EV infrastructure,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of BYD’s new models in the Philippines, the Atto 2 and the Seal 5 DM-i on Tuesday. “At the same time, I think the government should be able to assist companies like AC Mobility in fast-tracking our permitting with certain LGUs (local government units) where we set up the charging infrastructure,” he added. The Philippines is targeting about 7,300 charging stations by 2028 under the Comprehensive Road Map for the Electric Vehicle Industry. While the country remains far from that goal, Palanca welcomed the support that President Marcos had expressed for the EV industry during his fifth State of the Nation Address. The president credited EVs with helping cushion some Filipinos from the oil price shock. “The president is actually encouraging the market. That’s a positive feedback for us,” he added. EV sales have accelerated since fuel prices surged following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict in late February. In the first half of the year, EV sales more than doubled to 31,381 units from 13,488 a year earlier, according to data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi). BYD is not a Campi member. Palanca said BYD also benefited from the surge in EV demand that had begun in March, although he declined to disclose figures. The company’s vehicles are sold through 81 dealerships nationwide, a network he said is already extensive enough. “We don’t see the need to expand our network,” Palanca said. On whether participating in the Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (Evis) is also on the table for the carmaker, Palanca said: “We don’t have that in our pipeline. It is not part of our vision at this point in time.” Evis will offer P15 billion in incentives to each of four EV manufacturers. So far, only Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. has publicly confirmed plans to participate in the program. INQ