MANILA– The Philippines is looking to step up in Southeast Asia’s electric vehicle market after selling nearly 19,000 electric cars in 2024. Companies like VinFast are working to solve key problems like charging station access, reliable maintenance, and keeping costs down for buyers.
Vietnam is ahead in the region, selling almost 90,000 electric vehicles in 2024, which makes up about 18 per cent of their total car market. Thailand follows with just over 70,000 EVs sold, or 13 per cent of their car sales. Indonesia saw 49,200 EVs sold for more than 7 per cent of national sales.
The Philippines is behind its neighbours with fewer than 19,000 electric vehicles sold last year. These made up only about 4 per cent of total new car purchases.
The country has a chance to narrow this gap if everyone involved, especially major automakers like VinFast, works together. VinFast’s approach brings a full ecosystem that goes beyond just selling cars, aiming to solve the biggest concerns buyers have.
Regional Strategies Heat Up
Thailand is pushing hard with tax breaks and a goal to make 30 per cent of its vehicles electric by 2030. Indonesia is using its large nickel reserves to draw in battery makers. Vietnam is using VinFast as a springboard for export growth.
The Philippines isn’t standing by. The Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) from 2022 outlines steps for boosting EV use. These include lower import duties, reserved parking for EVs, and a rule that at least 5 per cent of big fleets must be electric. But the plan doesn’t offer many perks for suppliers or makers, so the rise in EV sales is slow, and the share of new EVs in sales is low.
Relying on imported oil puts extra strain on the economy. MUFG says each $10 increase in oil prices could widen the country’s current-account gap from 3.5 per cent to over 4.5 per cent of GDP, mostly due to more spending on fuel.
The Philippines has also committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75 percent by 2030 under the Paris Agreement. Electric vehicles play a big part in reaching that goal. But for this to work, drivers need affordable and easy-to-maintain zero-emission vehicles. It also takes a network of partners providing charging stations, service centers, and information, not just the cars themselves.
VinFast’s Full-Ecosystem Plan
VinFast’s cars are already on local roads. In July 2024, it opened its first three showrooms in the country. Less than a year later, VinFast became a full member of CAMPI, joining other car makers in local policy talks.
VinFast’s “For a Green Future” plan aims to build a strong support network. It’s teaming up with local dealers to open over 60 new showrooms by year-end. It’s also working with service providers like Goodyear and Tire King, planning to have more than 100 authorised repair shops across the country by 2025. This makes maintenance easier and addresses common worries about where to get an EV fixed.
VinFast kicked off a free charging program with its new VF 6 subcompact model, offering free charging at its network until May 1, 2027. The network, managed by V-GREEN, is set to add 15,000 charging ports across the Philippines in 2025.
The company’s plan tackles three big hurdles: charging access, maintenance, and up-front cost. VinFast eases range worries with more charging stations, covers service through a wide network, and helps on price with a buyback program offering up to 90 percent of the car’s original cost.
Even without a local factory, VinFast’s ecosystem creates jobs in sales, repairs, tech, and charging infrastructure, helping with EVIDA’s targets, cutting city pollution, and reducing oil use.
One challenge is that many people just don’t know what it’s like to own or drive an EV, which is often the biggest barrier. A study from the US found that once people try EVs, their concerns about range, cost, and charging all drop.
To close this gap, VinFast is teaming up with B2B partners and mobility services to make EVs more visible. Green GSM, the country’s first all-electric taxi service, launched on June 10, 2025, running a fleet of VinFast vehicles.
By riding with Green GSM drivers, commuters get firsthand experience with EVs. Conversations with drivers help clear up common questions, show what it’s like to drive electric, and highlight the benefits. This exposure could make more people comfortable with the idea of switching to an EV.
The Philippines may not have its electric vehicle factory yet, but VinFast’s full-ecosystem strategy gives the country a real shot at catching up with its neighbours and moving ahead in the fast-growing Southeast Asian EV market.
