MANILA, PHILIPPINES - 15 July 2025 - With nearly 19,000 electric vehicles sold in 2024, the Philippines is looking to catch up in Southeast Asia’s EV race as ecosystem players like VinFast work to overcome hurdles around charging access, maintenance, and affordability.

Emerging Asia's electric vehicle market reached nearly 400,000 sales in 2024[1], but the gains were spread unevenly across the region.

In Southeast Asia, Vietnam led the way with nearly 90,000 electric cars sold, accounting for 17.6 percent of the country's car market.[2] Thailand followed closely with just over 70,000 new EVs, accounting for 13 percent of all car sales[3]. Indonesia recorded 49,200 EVs, representing over 7 percent of national sales.[4]

The Philippines lags behind. Fewer than 19,000 electrified vehicles were sold in 2024, making up only around 4 percent of new car purchases.[5]

Can the Philippines draft a catch-up strategy in Southeast Asia's EV sprint? The short answer is yes, but it needs to work closely with all stakeholders, especially OEMs like VinFast, which is bringing a comprehensive ecosystem designed to address the major concerns of potential EV buyers.

The ASEAN EV Race

Regional competitors are deploying aggressive strategies to dominate the electric transition. Thailand offers big multi-year tax holidays and targets 30 percent domestic EV production by 2030. Indonesia leverages its world-leading nickel reserves to attract battery manufacturers. Vietnam is using homegrown VinFast as a launchpad into export markets.

Manila isn't standing still either, as the 2022 Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) lays out a roadmap for EV adoption that includes reduced import tariffs, EV-only parking slots, and a requirement for 5 percent of large fleets to be electric. However, the policy offers few supply-side incentives, and so while EV sales have picked up in recent years, they still account for only a single-digit share of total car sales.

The country's oil dependency adds pressure. MUFG estimates that a 10-dollar increase per barrel in crude oil would widen the Philippines' current-account deficit from roughly 3.5 percent to over 4.5 percent of GDP.[6] That is a full percentage-point increase, largely driven by fuel imports.

The Philippines pledged to trim greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 75% by 2030 under the Paris Agreement. And EV is a big part of this[7]. But electrifying transportation means consumers need more affordable, serviceable zero-emission options. More than that, the government needs partners who can support the full ecosystem, including infrastructure, services, and education, not just the vehicles themselves.

VinFast's Whole-of-Ecosystem Approach

VinFast vehicles are already on Philippine roads. In July 2024, the company opened its first three showrooms. Almost a year later, the OEM became a full member of CAMPI, giving it a seat at the local policy table alongside other traditional automotive brands.

What's notable about VinFast's approach is its effort to build a comprehensive "For a Green Future" ecosystem. The company has partnered with local dealers to open more than 60 new showrooms by the end of the year. Collaborations with tire and maintenance chains like Goodyear and Tire King will extend after-sales service coverage, aiming for over 100 authorized service workshops across the Philippines by 2025. This tackles the "who fixes my EV, and where?" anxiety head-on.

VinFast has also launched a free charging program alongside the debut of its VF 6 subcompact model. This initiative allows customers to charge for free at its dedicated network until May 1, 2027. The network, operated by V-GREEN, aims to roll out 15,000 charging ports across the country in 2025.

VinFast's strategy targets three major EV adoption barriers all at once. It eases range anxiety through accessible charging, tackles maintenance fears with a broad service network, and addresses upfront cost concerns through policies such as a buyback program that offers up to 90 percent of the vehicle's original value.

Even without building a local factory, VinFast's ecosystem creates jobs in sales, repairs, software, and charging infrastructure. This supports Manila's EVIDA goals, helps reduce urban pollution, and contributes to lowering oil dependence.

Another hidden challenge to EV adoption and one VinFast aims to solve is lack of familiarity, which, according to some studies, is actually the largest barrier. One American study found that once drivers experience EVs firsthand, concerns about range, costs, and charging drop significantly[8].

To help bridge that gap, VinFast is working with various B2B partners and mobility service providers that are helping make electric vehicles more visible and accessible in everyday life, including Green GSM, the Philippines' first all-electric taxi service, which recently launched on June 10, 2025.

By interacting with Green GSM drivers, all of whom operate VinFast vehicles, everyday commuters are given a practical and low-barrier introduction to EVs. These conversations can help the public understand how EVs work, what they feel like to drive one, and why they might be worth considering. Eventually, that exposure could encourage more people to make the switch.

In Southeast Asia's e-mobility race, the Philippines may lack a domestic factory. Still, VinFast's ecosystem-focused approach gives the country a real opportunity to catch up and perhaps even pull ahead.

[1] https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2025/trends-in-electric-car-markets-2

[2] https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/data-speaks/auto-sales-rise-by-22-in-2024-4839351.html

[3] Same as #1

[4] Same as #1

[5] https://business.inquirer.net/508320/ev-sales-in-ph-seen-hitting-20000-in-2025

[6] https://www.mufgresearch.com/fx/asia-the-impact-of-oil-price-shock-on-asia-fx-a-scenario-analysis-23-june-2025/

[7] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/philippines-raises-carbon-emission-reduction-target-75-by-2030-2021-04-16/

[8] https://electrek.co/2024/09/06/the-greatest-barrier-to-ev-adoption-lack-of-familiarity/

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