The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) has announced the staging of its Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS). Now in its 13th year, this momentous event in the local EV industry is an opportunity for people to learn more about EVs, as well as present and future EV technologies. It’s also the place where visitors can test drive the latest EVs in the market today.
EVAP announced that this year’s PEVS will happen from October 23 to 25, 2025, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. There, some of the country’s leading EV car brands will be present. These include BYD, GAC, Omoda & Jaecoo, as well as the brands under the United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI), such as BAIC, Chery, Foton, and Lynk & Co. Not only these, the event is also expected to be graced by EV startups and EV-focused accessory businesses in both four-wheel and two-wheel segments, further strengthening the push for cleaner means of mobility.
EVAP President Edmund Araga shared that the Philippines’ EV adoption is expected to continue its rapid and steady rise. He backed up this statement, highlighting key reasons such as new government policies, fluctuating fuel costs, and the increasing number of EV car brands entering the local market over the past few years. Araga’s statement holds strong bearing as evidenced by the massive increase in total EV sales in 2024.
According to EVAP, the latest data from the Department of Energy (DOE) show that sales of four-wheeled EVs nearly tripled in 2024, reaching 3,880 units, compared to the total sales of 1,028 units in 2023. This represents a 277.5% increase in sales for 2024 compared to 2023. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 75% of sales, while hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) made up 23%. On the other hand, plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for 2% of the data.
EVAP also shared that two-wheeled and three-wheeled EVs have recorded a remarkably high sales performance in 2024. The data showed a significant 25,156% increase in sales last year, amounting to a total of 43,441 units, compared to the total sales of 172 units in 2024.
This positive news in local EV sales served as a motivation for this year’s PEVS event, which will banner the theme, “Charge Ahead, Ignite the EVolution.” Part of this motivation stems from the local EV sector’s ambitious plans, which will be discussed in detail during the series of talks held over the three-day event. These include increasing the number of EV charging infrastructures, which is one of the biggest challenges surrounding the local EV industry today.
To address the challenge, EVAP shared that the government’s Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREVI) has set a target to deploy around 7,300 EV charging stations or EVCS nationwide by 2028. Established in 2022, the CREVI had a speedy start, deploying around 300 EVCS in 2023. That number has increased to 992 EVCS today. CREVI aims to build 20,400 EVCS by 2024 as it projects around 2.5 million EV units by that target year.
CREVI’s big plans are promising and would allow the local EV industry to grow even further in the decades to come. But there’s a twist, as shared by EVAP. It disclosed that the government has no hand in subsidizing the building and operation of EVCS. Instead, it passes the responsibility to the private sector, like mall operators, resort operators, hotel and condominium chains, and even some car brands.
Pointing to the EVIDA Law’s Rule I, Section 2 F, it says that the EVIDA Law will help, “Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization while recognizing the role of the private sector in order to support the transition to new technologies, generate jobs, spur small and medium enterprise growth, attract investments, grow globally competitive and innovative industries, and upgrade the country’s participation in regional and global value chain, consistent with the Philippine Development Plan and the country’s international obligations under the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda.”
This poses a significant challenge to the industry, as it currently requires all the government support it can get to strengthen its foundation. Of note, companies in the private sector are doing everything they can to provide EVCS for everyone. With this in mind, EVAP shared DOE’s latest EVCS status report.
It stated that approximately 12% of public EVCS are located in shopping malls, most notably in SM malls, with a total of 69 charging units. Ayala Malls follows with 31 units, while Megaworld Lifestyle Malls and Robinsons Malls have 5 and 4 units, respectively. The report also stated that most EVCS are in Metro Manila, while Cebu has 14 stations, and Davao has 7. The Bicol region, meanwhile, has three EVCS so far, located in Legazpi, Naga, and Sorsogon.
Moreover, EV industry stakeholders are also banking on new investments to move the industry forward despite the setback. In Q4 of 2024, the country’s first EV lithium-ion battery factory was inaugurated in Tarlac and is operated by StB Giga Factory, Inc. Once it reaches full capacity, the facility is expected to produce around 18,000 EV batteries annually.
Finally, EVAP shared that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has proposed a new Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy or EVIS to the Fiscal Incentives Revenue Board. If approved, EVIS is expected to generate around P11.4 trillion in economic output. This proposal is also expected to generate around 680,000 new job opportunities.
“The EV sector is unstoppable. There are more productive and insightful discussions plus a grand showcase of the latest innovations, industry collaborations, and new EV models coming at this year’s PEVS,” shared Araga.
