Ayala, a large Philippine plutocrat, announced on 11 August that it had signed a dealership contract with China’s BYD. The goal is to expand sales of pure electric vehicles, which have been slow to catch on, in the Philippines through Ayala’s sales network. In the Philippine market, Japanese companies such as Toyota hold an overwhelming share, and it will be interesting to see if the market changes.
AC Motors, the automotive arm of the Ayala Group, is expected to be the main body of the business and will be responsible for the sales and maintenance of BYD’s pure electric vehicles and other businesses. It is expected to launch a variety of models such as premium sedans and SUVs for families.
Ayala is one of the Philippines’ large plutocrats, with extensive involvement in power, telecommunications, real estate, retail, banking and other businesses. The group has set a goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and is known for its aggressive decarbonisation.
Even in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, the railway network is not well developed, and cars are the main means of transport in the Philippines. Public taxis, “jeepneys”, are a means of transport for the general public, but have a high environmental burden. Compared to other major Southeast Asian countries, electric vehicles are not as popular in the Philippines.
Japanese companies dominate the Philippine automotive market. In the country’s new car sales, Toyota accounts for about 50 per cent and Mitsubishi Motors accounts for nearly 20 per cent. If the sale of BYD’s cars through Ayala can lead to the popularisation of pure electric vehicles, the competitive environment between the companies is likely to change.
However, in order for pure electric vehicles to become popular, related infrastructure such as charging facilities must be improved. In Southeast Asia, the high cost of electricity is also a barrier. Whether Ayala will be able to promote the improvement of charging infrastructure through co-operation between its various business fields may become a focus of much attention.