Auto sales rev up 2% in 6 months

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine automotive industry saw total sales inch up by two percent in the first semester from a year ago, despite the slow demand for passenger cars.

A joint report from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) yesterday showed that total vehicle sales from January to June reached 230,912 compared to 226,279 units in the same period last year.

Driving the growth was the commercial vehicle segment, which accelerated by 11 percent to 185,265 units in the first half from 166,404 units in the previous year.

Meanwhile, passenger car sales slowed by 24 percent to 45,647 units from 59,875 units.

Sales of electric vehicles reached 13,490 units during the six-month period.

Of the total e-vehicle sales as of end-June, 10,891 are hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), 2,439 are battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 160 are plug-in HEVs.

For June alone, CAMPI and TMA’s sales rose by four percent to 40,483 units from 39,088 units in the same month last year.

Commercial vehicle sales climbed by 18 percent to 33,561 units in June from 28,460 units in the same month in 2024, while sales of the passenger car segment fell by 35 percent to 6,922 from 10,628.

While passenger car sales dropped, CAMPI said “ongoing market shifts and evolving buyer preferences present opportunities for innovation and recovery in this segment.”

CAMPI and TMA sold 3,057 e-vehicles in June. Of the total, 2,355 units are HEVs, 660 units are BEVs and 42 are plug-in HEVs.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. maintained its market leadership, through its 48-percent share.

Followed by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. with a 19-percent share, Nissan Philippines Inc. with five percent, Ford Motor Co. Philippines Inc. with 4.7 percent and Suzuki Philippines Inc. with 4.6 percent.

“As the industry heads into the second half of the year, manufacturers and dealers remain focused on enhancing customer experience, introducing updated vehicle lineups and supporting market recovery across all segments – including passenger cars,” CAMPI said.