BYD opened its flagship dealership in Quezon City, Philippines. This is the second BYD dealer in the country, and the first facility to open under Mobility Access Philippines Ventures, Inc. (MAPVI), a new company under the automotive arm of the Ayala Group of Companies.
BYD Quezon City is owned and operated by Solar Transport and Automotive Resources Corp. (Solar Transport), which for over a decade was the first BYD distributor in the country. The Ayala Group took over the distributorship early last August, creating a synergy between the two entities.
“BYD’s presence in the country was already formidable,” MAPVI president Toti Zara said, citing how the cooperation between AC Motors and Solar Transport is underpinned by a shared vision of enabling sustainable mobility solutions for Filipinos. “Thus, we look forward to scaling even bigger heights and bringing the brand closer to even more Filipinos. Building your dreams has never been more attainable, and exciting.”
The 4,000-square-meter showroom features an elevated customer lounge experience and dedicated new car release area. It is designed to communicate sustainable transport through a mix of green and contemporary design. BYD’s pure EV line-up, including the Dolphin, Han, and Tang is on display, and test drives will soon be made available.
“The BYD Quezon Avenue flagship dealership is a testament to the strong partnership of AC Motors and Solar Transport, and our commitment to our valued customers to provide service that they can rely on,” says Mark Andrew Tieng, president and CEO of Solar Transport & Automotive Resources Corp.
Taking Over The Distributorship
Ayala Corporation has been prioritizing the electric mobility space as an area of growth — it distributes the Kia EV6, manufactures and export to Europe pure electric Zero Motorcycles, and is cooperating with Ayala Land and IMI Electronics, two other Ayala subsidiaries which are involved in real estate and charging technology and equipment.
BYD executives at the launch of the dealership. (Photo from BYD Philippines)
The company is not only interested in distributing the vehicles itself, but also creating an entire EV ecosystem, including the charging infrastructure and how the vehicles integrate into the overall customer lifestyle.
Last August 11th, 2023, AC Motors, Ayala’s automotive subsidiary, closed a deal to be the official distributor of BYD passenger vehicles in the Philippines. This is a critical step in BYD’s revitalized entry into the Philippines.
BYD in the Philippines
Before this takeover, BYD Philippines, under Solar Transport, struggled to sell BYD vehicles in the country. It started selling internal combustion engine BYD models in 2012. It sold the now obsolete ICE-powered FO, F3, L3, G3, F5 Suri, and S6.
The company only sold a few hundred units of BYD vehicles in the Philippines, but the company principals were visionaries.
They brought in the first commercially available electric vehicle to the country, the e6 electric crossover, followed in succession by the BYD Tang Super Sport PHEV and the smaller e5 pure EV.
BYD Philippines Struggled To Sell EVs
First, the price of BYD electric vehicles was relatively high compared to both ICE and other electric vehicles then. No exemptions were in place and duties were pegged at 30% of the landed cost. It wasn’t until 2019 that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was launched and became a direct competitor to the Tang. Second, there was not a lot of awareness about electric vehicles in the Philippines at the time, even if the vehicles were plug-in hybrids, few people latched on to the idea of electric vehicles. Third, there was no convenient charging infrastructure available in the Philippines and no one was willing to invest.
But right in the middle of the pandemic, BYD delivered the largest fleet of local pure electric vehicles to Manila Electric Company (Meralco) in Manila. The first 11 delivered electric vehicles included the T3 and the e2 models, totaling 18 units by the end of 2022. By the beginning of 2022, BYD Philippines delivered 13 T3 EV vans to DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider.
12 More BYD Dealerships Set For Remainder Of 2023
MAPVI is set to open 12 more dealerships in key locations nationwide over the next 12 months. This is part of the company’s commitment to bring more EV options to the Philippines and to support the government’s goal of electrifying the country’s transportation sector.
The new dealerships will be located in Metro Manila, South and North Luzon, and key cities in the Visayas, like Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod and Davao, and Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao.
BYD Dolphin is a bestseller. (Photo by Gregory E. Bautista)
The opening of the new dealerships is a major step forward for the development of the EV ecosystem in the Philippines. It will make it easier for Filipinos to purchase and own electric vehicles, and it will help to promote sustainable transportation in the country.
“We can assure our clients that each BYD EV will have access to exceptional after-sales service and support, including an extensive battery warranty coverage of 8 years or 150,000 kilometers. The company’s trained mechanics are dedicated to providing reliable customer service, and with the aggressive global expansion efforts and government-backed incentives taking place, BYD owners in the Philippines can expect peace of mind, reliable specialists, and a seamless ownership experience,” Tieng said.
“The opening of BYD’s first flagship store in the Philippines not only illustrates the importance BYD attaches to the Philippine market, but also is an important step for BYD to deepen its localization in the Philippines, as BYD joins hands with its partners to practice the goal of low-carbon and green life with practical actions. This is a brand new starting point,” James Ng, General Manager BYD Philippines and Singapore, concluded.
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