Philippines EV registrations up 130%: 2028 duty deadline

Fuel prices, not subsidies, drive Philippine EV demand, which means stocking should be paced against the 2028 expiry of the import duty exemption. Petrol is up 68.3% since the conflict in late February, the world's fourth-largest rise, in a market importing almost all its fuel with no subsidy.

Over the eight months to August, Philippine EV registrations passed 67,000 units, up 130% year on year including hybrids, per the Energy Department. ACMobility's mobility infrastructure head puts EVs at nearly a quarter of car sales this year, against 12% in 2025 and 4% in 2024.

The real calculation is the window. The EV import duty exemption expires in 2028 and the Energy Department is pushing to extend it, with nothing locked, so units landed by then carry a known cost basis while post-2028 units get re-costed on restored duty.

Model mix splits in two. Near-term volume is HEV and PHEV, which need no charging network and no change in fuelling habits. Commercial electrification is the second line, where fleets weigh cost per kilometre and downtime above price. Full electric is separate: BYD delivered 28,399 units in eight months, but that is distributor delivery, not registrations.

Ask suppliers for three documents. One: monthly registrations split by powertrain. Two: a CIF Manila quote itemizing freight, duty and clearance, plus the duty difference under both scenarios. Three: a tropical-climate note with battery thermal management and parts lead times. Treat 2028 as the inventory payback deadline.

Which markets demand the most Chinese vehicles?
Latin America, Central Asia & CIS, the Middle East, Africa and the EU all show steady demand with different preferences (e.g. pickups and SUVs in Central Asia, heat-resistant models in the Middle East). EZ Auto supplies all five regions equally, without betting on a single market.

Where can I check Chinese vehicle export data?
Export volumes, destination registrations and import figures are published by China Customs and destination statistics offices. EZ Auto's News section digests the key trends so buyers can judge quickly.

How do shipping cost swings affect my purchase?
Freight is a meaningful share of landed cost and moves with capacity and fuel. EZ Auto locks the shipping method and timing at contract and quotes major pre-arrival costs to limit mid-way price changes.

How do exchange-rate swings affect export quotes?
RMB and destination-currency fluctuations affect landed cost. EZ Auto stamps a validity period on quotes, and volume orders can lock an exchange-rate window to reduce price-change risk.

Which models hold value better in target markets?
Resale value depends on local parc size, parts availability and brand recognition. EZ Auto advises model choices based on the destination's market rather than simply pushing high-margin units.

This article is published by EZ Auto. EZ Auto (Cheyixing Automobile Import & Export) specializes in exporting Chinese vehicles — new, used and parts — serving Latin America, Central Asia & CIS, Africa, the Middle East and the EU, with order-based sourcing, inspection with photo report, export documentation and ocean freight in one place.