The landscape of Philippine transportation is undergoing a seismic shift as ACMobility, the automotive arm of Ayala Corporation, reports an unprecedented surge in electric vehicle (EV) adoption.
Company executives are likening this rapid transition to the “GCash moment”—referring to the explosive growth of digital payments witnessed during the global pandemic.
Ayala Corporation President and CEO Cezar Consing noted that the momentum has caught even leadership by surprise, fueled by a perfect storm of volatile fuel prices and a fundamental shift in consumer behavior toward sustainable transport.
“GCash moment. We come into this year not expecting the kind of externalities that benefit ACMobility. In the same way we went into Covid, not realizing completely that GCash will all of a sudden elevate itself,” Consing remarked.
The numbers reflect this aggressive trajectory. ACMobility CEO Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala revealed that their BYD brand alone saw sales leap from 5,106 units in 2024 to a staggering 25,094 units in 2025.
This growth has shifted the company’s internal portfolio significantly, with electric and hybrid models now accounting for 62% of total vehicle sales.
While geopolitical instability in the Middle East has acted as a catalyst for interest in fuel alternatives, Zobel emphasized that the demand was already accelerating. This is evidenced by a 200% spike in online queries for BYD vehicles between February and March.
“The March and what looks like April numbers start to indicate a kind of demand consumers have for this new technology… We estimate penetration in March and April somewhere around 20–23% of new vehicles sold,” Zobel stated.
Industry-wide data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) reinforces this trend. The first quarter of 2026 saw 11,800 EVs sold, a jump from 8,664 in the previous year.
Most notably, the market saw a 101.3% month-on-month increase from February to March 2026. While hybrids remain the volume leaders, pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) recorded an astonishing 485.9% growth surge.
Looking ahead, Zobel is optimistic about the long-term outlook for the Philippines.
“If you look at indicators which are website leads, showroom walk-ins, other types of reservations, all indicators are working very strong,” he added.
With EVs expected to capture 18% of the total new car market this year, ACMobility is on track to reach profitability within 2026.
By 2030, the company projects that half of all new cars sold in the country could be new energy vehicles, positioning Ayala at the forefront of the nation’s green revolution.