BYD’s DENZA bets on rising EV demand in Philippines

BYD CO. LTD.’S brand DENZA is entering the Philippine market this week, betting that accelerating electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Southeast Asia will extend to one of the region’s smaller but growing car markets.

“There is faster and growing adoption of new energy vehicles in the Philippines,” Adam Hu, country head of BYD and DENZA Philippines, told reporters on Monday. “The same scenario is also happening in other Southeast Asian countries.”

The Philippines remains a relatively small EV market compared with regional peers such as Thailand and Indonesia, but automakers are stepping up launches amid government incentives and rising consumer interest in fuel-efficient vehicles.

BYD’s Philippine sales climbed to more than 26,000 units in 2025 from fewer than 5,000 vehicles in 2024, he said, reflecting stronger demand for electric and hybrid models.

DENZA, positioned as BYD’s premium marque, will formally launch in the Philippines on Friday, expanding the Chinese carmaker’s footprint into the country’s higher-end electric vehicle segment.

For its debut, DENZA will introduce the Denza D9, a luxury multipurpose vehicle. Two sport utility vehicle models are also lined up for release, possibly by March, as the company broadens its product offering.

“DENZA has a wide product lineup,” Mr. Hu said. “It covers SUVs (sport utility vehicles), MPVs (multipurpose vehicles), sedans and even sports cars.”

He added that more models would be introduced gradually to capture a wider range of customers.

The brand will initially open four dealerships in Alabang, Makati, Cebu and Greenhills in San Juan City. Mr. Hu said the rollout is designed to support brand-building and service standards rather than chase aggressive sales targets in its first year.

“This year is quite important for us to establish the brand image, to have the service quality built-in,” he said. “It’s not a year we should focus on sales numbers. We should focus on the service.”

Still, infrastructure remains a key hurdle for broader EV adoption in the Philippines. Mr. Hu cited limited charging facilities as the biggest risk to growth, particularly given the country’s geography of more than 7,000 islands, complicating the development of a nationwide charging network.

“With new energy vehicles vastly growing, the limited charging infrastructure will cause anxiety for our customers,” he said.

Private conglomerates including Ayala Corp. and SM Investments Corp. are helping expand charging networks, Mr. Hu noted.

BYD is also open to partnering with local companies and deploying its in-house charging technologies to accelerate infrastructure development, he added. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel