Philippine EV sales surge 36% despite market slowdown in Q1, VinFast emerges on top — no sales data from BYD

Manila: Electric vehicle (EV) sales in the Philippines floored the pedal to the metal in the first quarter of 2026, rising 36.2%, bucking a broader slowdown in the automotive market.

Industry data released by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed sales of electrified vehicles — BEVs, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) — rose 36.2% year-on-year to 11,800 units from 8,664 in the same period of 2025.

Electrified vehicles accounted for 11.17% of all vehicles sold during the January-March period.

Car sales tank

The increase came even as total industry sales fell 9.8% to 105,642 units, underscoring a growing shift in consumer preferences toward electrified mobility.

Hybrid electric vehicles remained the dominant segment, with 8,261 units sold in the first quarter, accounting for about 70% of all electrified vehicle sales.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) followed with 2,289 units, while plug-in hybrids reached 1,250 units, the fastest-growing category on a percentage basis.

The data also reflected changing competition in the Philippine EV market.

VinFast

Vietnamese automaker VinFast emerged as the top-selling battery electric vehicle brand during the quarter (BYD sales data for Q1 for 2026 was not included in the report).

Toyota retained its leadership in hybrid sales and Jetour led the plug-in hybrid segment among CAMPI-TMA member brands.

Industry figures note that some major EV brands, including BYD, are not included in CAMPI-TMA statistics because they are not members of the organisations.

Industry analysts attribute the EV boom to several factors, including a wider selection of models, aggressive pricing by manufacturers, growing consumer awareness, and government incentives under the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA, Republic Act No. 11697).

RA 11697 promotes EV adoption through tax incentives, charging infrastructure development (mandated for certain government buildings and malls) and investment support.

Under this law, private and public establishments (including malls) are mandated to designate dedicated parking slots for Electric Vehicles (EVs) if an establishment has 20 or more parking slots -- at least 5% must be dedicated for EVs.

Moreover, EVIDA and its implementing guidelines require these dedicated slots to be fitted with designated charging stations.

Fossil fuel price volatility

The industry also saw higher interest in EVs as fuel price volatility encouraged motorists to seek alternatives with lower operating costs.

By April, EV sales had accelerated even further, with electrified vehicle sales nearly tripling from a year earlier as geopolitical tensions pushed oil prices higher.

CAMPI officials have said they expect EV adoption to continue expanding throughout 2026 despite softer overall vehicle demand, as manufacturers introduce more affordable models and consumers become increasingly familiar with electrified technologies.

Broader shift

The Philippine trend mirrors broader regional and global shifts toward vehicle electrification, although EVs still account for a relatively small share of the country's automotive market compared with more mature markets in China, Europe and parts of Southeast Asia.

The International Energy Agency has said global EV adoption continues to grow despite uneven demand across major markets.

Industry reports and VinFast's own announcements show the company has been rapidly expanding its Philippine dealer network, reaching 30 dealerships nationwide by early 2026, with new locations continuing to open in Metro Manila and other growth corridors.

Delayed dealer launch, inventory prioritisation

VinFast has reportedly concentrated early deliveries in larger markets such as Metro Manila, Cebu and major regional cities where EV demand and charging infrastructure are more developed.

Industry reports and VinFast's own announcements show the company has been rapidly expanding its Philippine dealer network, reaching 30 dealerships nationwide by early 2026, with new locations continuing to open in Metro Manila and other growth corridors.

VinFast has concentrated early deliveries in larger markets such as Metro Manila, Cebu and major regional cities where EV demand and charging infrastructure are more developed.

While Q1 2026 sales figures were not available from BYD Cars Philippines, under the management of the Ayala Corp’s ACMobility, the dealership ended 2025 with 26,122 units sold, a massive 446% increase compared to the previous year.