Nissan Eyes Philippines to Regain Top ASEAN Market Spot

NISSAN MOTOR Co., Ltd. said the Philippines could retain its top spot in the ASEAN market in vehicle sales, driven by growing interest in electrified models. “In the ASEAN market, the Philippines is number two, but it has the potential to rise to number one,” Nissan ASEAN and Thailand President Masao Tsutsumi said at a briefing on Tuesday. Thailand is currently the top market for Nissan within ASEAN. Nissan Philippines, Inc. President Yoshinori Kanazawa said the shift to electrified transport is expected to drive the automaker’s sales in the Philippines. “Filipinos are more interested in electrified products and technologies,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the briefing. The company on Tuesday debuted its Nissan Primera EV, Navarra Pro plug-in hybrid as part of its electrified line-up. He added that the automaker’s vehicle lineup is also a demand driver. “I think it’s not the solo product, but our lineup, which can satisfy the diverse needs of Filipino customers,” Mr. Kanazawa said. He expects EV related infrastructure in the Philippines to grow after high oil prices drove a shift away from internal combustion engine powered vehicles. At the end of July, overall industry EV sales surged 136.4% to 38,286 units, according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association. Nissan Philippines ranked fifth in overall vehicle sales in the seven months to July, after a 42% decline in sales to 7,899 units. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz