The Year Electrification Took Over The Philippine International Motor Show (Part 1)

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Part 1: The New Establishment

The Philippine automotive market has moved beyond asking whether electrification will arrive. At the tenth edition of the Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), the question was no longer if alternative powertrains would become mainstream, but which technologies, brands, and business models would define the transition.

Organized by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, the biennial exhibition carried the theme “Forward in Every Drive.” More than a slogan, it reflected the direction of an industry that appears increasingly convinced that the future of mobility in the Philippines will be shaped by some form of electrification.

The scale of the exhibition underscored that shift. Seventeen of CAMPI’s 32 member brands occupied the exhibition halls, displaying more than 150 vehicles. Approximately half featured some form of electrified powertrain, from battery-electric city cars and plug-in hybrid sport utility vehicles to electric vans, trucks and motorcycles. Newly elected CAMPI President Jose Maria Atienza described the local automotive industry as vibrant and competitive, noting that the integration of electrified technologies has become a commercial necessity rather than a peripheral experiment.

The pure EV brands

Perhaps the clearest sign of how rapidly the market is evolving can be seen in the changing composition of CAMPI itself. The inclusion of Tesla and VinFast signals a departure from the traditional hierarchy that has long defined the Philippine automotive landscape. For decades, the market was largely shaped by Japanese manufacturers. And only manufacturers. Revisions in its charter now allows importers with manufacturing facilities to join. Tesla has its Gigafactory in Shanghai and VinFast in Hai Phong.

Tesla’s participation was significant less for the vehicles themselves than for what the company’s presence represents. The world’s most recognizable electric vehicle manufacturer now considers the Philippines sufficiently mature to warrant participation in the country’s premier automotive exhibition. Its display centered on the Model 3 and Model Y, vehicles that have become global benchmarks for mainstream electric mobility.

Yet Tesla’s message extended beyond hardware. The company devoted considerable attention to its broader technology ecosystem, including a static display of the Optimus humanoid robot. More revealing was the demonstration of Grok integration within the vehicle interface. The artificial intelligence platform handles navigation, scheduling, recommendations and reminders while demonstrating fluency in multiple Philippine languages and dialects, including Tagalog, Ilocano, Bisaya, Chavacano and Waray. The presentation reinforced Tesla’s long-standing argument that future vehicles will function as software-defined mobility platforms as much as transportation devices.

VinFast arrived with a different proposition. While most manufacturers came to PIMS to sell vehicles, the Vietnamese automaker arrived with a business model. Alongside displays of the Limo Green and Herio Green fleet vehicles and the preview of the MP7, VinFast introduced its Renta Pasada program, an initiative designed to lower the financial barriers to fleet electrification.

Rather than requiring operators to purchase vehicles outright, the program allows transport operators, ride-hailing drivers and corporate fleets to access electric mobility through a rental structure supported by charging solutions. In a market where upfront acquisition costs remain one of the largest barriers to EV adoption, VinFast is betting that financing innovation may be just as important as vehicle technology. It is a strategy tailored specifically to the realities of developing economies, where access often matters more than ownership.

While Tesla and VinFast represented the new establishment, the most aggressive challenge to the market came from mainland Chinese manufacturers. Their displays reflected the confidence of an industry that now dominates global EV production and increasingly views Southeast Asia as its next battleground.

Across multiple brands, a common theme emerged: reducing the price premium traditionally associated with electrification.

Chery Auto Philippines focused on affordability with the launch of the Q EV. Powered by a rear-mounted electric motor producing 120 PS and a 41.28-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, the compact crossover offers up to 405 kilometers of driving range while supporting both AC and DC fast charging. More importantly, Chery introduced the vehicle at a show price of P888,000. That figure places the Q EV among the most accessible battery-electric vehicles in the country and directly challenges the notion that EV ownership remains reserved for affluent early adopters.

Geely Philippines followed a similar path with the EX2. Priced from P938,000, the fully electric hatchback pushes battery-electric mobility closer to mainstream territory. The significance of the EX2 lies not only in its specifications but in what it signals about Geely’s intentions. Having established itself through conventional crossovers and hybrids, the company now appears ready to compete aggressively in the emerging sub-P1 million EV segment.

Omoda & Jaecoo expanded its local electric portfolio through the launch of the J5 EV. Capable of traveling up to 461 kilometers on a single charge, the compact SUV joins the Omoda E5 and Jaecoo EJ6 in creating a layered electric lineup aimed at different buyer profiles. The expansion reflects the long-term investment Chinese automotive groups continue to direct toward ASEAN markets, where EV adoption remains at an earlier stage than in China but offers significant growth potential.

MG Philippines demonstrated how rapidly electrification has become embedded within corporate strategy. The Cyberster roadster may have attracted attention, but the more important story was the prominence given to the MG4 EV and MG ZS EV. These are no longer niche products used to showcase technology. They have become central pillars of the brand’s business plan in the Philippines.

Jetour Auto Philippines reinforced the case for plug-in hybrids as a practical transition technology. The T2 Lightning i-DM and X70 Lightning i-DM utilize the company’s intelligent Digital Management platform, combining electric propulsion with the flexibility of conventional refueling. For consumers who remain concerned about charging infrastructure, plug-in hybrids offer a pathway toward electrification without requiring major changes in driving habits.

Taken together, the Chinese presence at PIMS 2026 illustrated a broader reality. The country’s transition to alternative powertrains is no longer being driven exclusively by premium technology or environmental aspirations. It is increasingly being propelled by affordability, accessibility and competition. The companies gaining the most attention were not necessarily those offering the most advanced technologies, but those bringing electrification within reach of ordinary Filipino consumers.

Coming soon — Part Two: Legacy Response