Total car sales slow, but xEVs accelerate

MANILA, Philippines — Total vehicle sales declined by 12 percent from January to May, but electrified vehicles (xEVs) continued to buck the trend, surging by 134 percent.

A joint report from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed that they sold a total of 167,324 vehicles in five months, down from 190,429 units sold in the same period last year.

Both the passenger car (PC) and commercial vehicle (CV) segments registered lower sales in the five-month period.

In particular, PC sales dropped by 16 percent to 32,442 units as of end-May from 38,725 units a year ago.

CV sales went down by 11 percent to 134,882 units from 151,704 units in the same period in 2025.

While overall sales dropped, xEV sales from January to May jumped by 134 percent to 24,356 units from 10,431 units in the same period last year.

Within the xEV segment, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) posted the highest growth, with sales surging by 3,165 percent to 3,853 units as of end-May from just 118 units last year.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales accelerated by 193 percent to 5,204 units in the five-month period from 1,779 units a year ago.

Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales grew by 79 percent to 15,299 units as of end-May from 8,534 units last year.

TMP accounted for the biggest share or 49.77 percent of CAMPI and TMA’s total sales as of end-May.

This was followed by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. with 17.80 percent, Suzuki Philippines Inc. with 4.62 percent, Ford Motor Co. Philippines Inc. with 3.67 percent and Nissan Philippines Inc. with 3.63 percent.

In May alone, CAMPI and TMA’s combined sales  were down by 16 percent to 33,532 units from 39,775 units in the same month in 2025.

Compared to the previous month’s sales of 27,089 units, CAMPI and TMA’s total vehicle sales in May rose by 24 percent.

PC sales in May declined by 15 percent to 6,692 units from 7,895 units in the same month last year.

CV sales also dropped by 16 percent to 26,840 units in May from the previous year’s 31,880 units.

Total xEV sales grew by 67 percent to 6,027 units in May from 3,613 units in the same month last year.

PHEV sales surged by 6,270 percent to 1,274 units in May from just 20 units a year ago.

BEV sales also jumped by 130 percent to 1,843 units from just 801 units in the previous year.

HEV sales rose by four percent to 2,910 units in May from 2,792 units in the same month of 2025.

CAMPI president Jose Maria Atienza said that energy efficiency remains a major factor for consumers buying a car, with demand for various types of xEVs continuing to rise.

“The accelerating growth trend is only held back by availability constraints resulting from the sudden surge in demand,” he said.

He said that the more stable fuel prices are also helping pull up demand for conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.

“Our overall market outlook has improved with actual vehicle sales performing better than previously expected despite the fuel crisis,” he said.

trend is only held back by availability constraints resulting from the sudden surge in demand,” he said.

He said that the more stable fuel prices are also helping pull up demand for conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.

“Our overall market outlook has improved with actual vehicle sales performing better than previously expected despite the fuel crisis,” he said.