Ayala Corp. said Friday unit AC Motors Automobile Group signed a deal with BYD, a global leader in hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturing, to be the official distributor of the latter’s vehicles in the Philippines.
AC Motors head Jamie Alfonso Zobel de Ayala underscored Ayala Group’s goal of addressing national pain points to provide long term value to stakeholders.
“This partnership between one of the largest multi-brand automotive groups in the Philippines and the world’s leading EV brand is a cornerstone of the group’s goal of accelerating the future of mobility in the country,” said Zobel de Ayala.
“Our long-term vision is for AC Motors to become the leading platform for EVs and other new energy vehicles in the Philippines. This includes building up BYD to become a key brand in the Philippine market, with leading share among EV brands and meaningful presence in the automotive market as a whole,” he said.
BYD managing director for the Philippines and Singapore James Ng noted the Philippine government’s support for local efforts to create policies that would usher in technology for new energy vehicles.
“The Philippine government is also promoting the construction of electric vehicles and establishing new green industrial chain. Consumer consumption of cars is increasing which is one of the most important reasons why we are promoting environmental friendly technology for new energy vehicles,” he said.
BYD has an expansive line-up of both passenger and commercial vehicles at competitive price points, allowing the vehicles to be deployed at a larger scale.
The China-based EV manufacturer has ramped it production of EVs to 5 million units as of July 2023, making it one of the biggest EV manufacturers globally.
Its operations as an automotive manufacturer are also fully-integrated, with capabilities not only in designing and assembling the final vehicles, but even in battery technology, electric powertrain development and semiconductors.
BYD also has investments in rail transit, renewable energy and battery storage.
Ayala has been prioritizing the electric mobility vehicles as the enabler of Ayala’s ecosystem. The group is uniquely positioned to provide long-term value to EV customers, given its assets in renewable power generation, automotive distribution and dealerships, property development and management, manufacturing, financing and insurance and digital connectivity—all of which are critical components of the EV ecosystem.
The partnership with BYD will allow AC Motors to offer EVs in the form of luxury executive sedan, BYD Han; the spacious 7-seater family SUV, BYD Tang; and the compact hatchback, BYD Dolphin.
Ayala said that by end-2023, it would also introduce the BYD ATTO 3, a highly awarded EV model known globally for its outstanding design, comfort, quality, practicality and performance.
“These are compelling models that target different market segments and allow us to promote EV adoption across a wide range of customers. With BYD’s leading presence globally in EVs and given its recent success in other Southeast Asian markets, we at AC Motors aspire to build the same level of respect and relevance for the brand in the Philippines,” Zobel de Ayala said.
