A TRIPLE-DIGIT surge in electric vehicle (EV) purchases failed to keep overall automotive sales afloat in April as high pump prices throttled demand for fossil-fuel powered cars, trucks and buses.
Overall industry sales for the month “registered around 32,400,” the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) reported, down 17 percent from over 39,000 in March and eight percent lower compared to a year earlier.
Campi and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) by themselves sold 27,225 units, a 24.6-percent decline from the previous month and also dropping 18.9 percent from April 2025.
Year to date, Campi-TMA sales were 11.8 percent lower at 132,867 units.
The market, Campi President Jose Maria Atienza said in a statement, had yet to recover from last year’s second-half slowdown and “was further affected by the oil crisis with customers carefully considering their car purchase.”
The bread-and-butter commercial vehicle segment, which includes pickups, Asian utility vehicles and buses, saw sales fall by 25.8 percent and 20.1 percent, respectively, on a month-on-month and annual basis to 21,647 units.
January-April sales were down 10.6 percent at 107,121 units.
Passenger cars, meanwhile, posted a 19.66-percent plunge to 5,578 units from March and were down 14.2 percent year on year. The four-month total of 25,746 units was 16.5 percent lower compared to the same period last year.
Electric vehicles, which accounted for 21.51 of overall automotive sales in March, recorded a 288.0-percent year-on-year surge to 5,855 units. Sales were down 4.8 percent, however, compared to March — possibly due to demand outstripping supply.
Year to date, EV sales were up 158.9 percent at 17,655 units.
“The customers are very much aware of what’s practical during these times, thus the increased demand for energy-efficient vehicles like xEVs (the collective industry term for all types of EVs) and lower displacement, fuel-efficient internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles,” Atienza said.
He said Campi would be showcasing these types of vehicles during next month’s Philippine International Motor Show.
Hybrid EVs, which combine an ICE with electric motors, took the lion’s share of EV sales at 4,107 units and were up 12.0 percent month on month and 242.3 percent year on year.
This took the year-to-date total to 12,368 units, 115.3 percent higher compared to January-April 2025.
Plug-in hybrids, which have a battery that can be charged via an external source, saw a surge in takeup with sales up 91.5 percent from March and 5,678.3 percent a year earlier at 1,329 units.
The four-month total of 2,579 units was 2,531.6 percent better compared to the yearago tally.
Battery EVs, meanwhile, were down 75.6 percent month on month at 419 units but rose 46.5 percent year on year. The year-to-date sales of 2,708 units was still significantly better, having surged by 176.9 percent.
Toyota Motor Philippines remained the market leader with 14,284 units sold in April, although this was down 18.9 percent month on month and 13.0 percent year on year.
Year to date, Toyota saw an 8.0-percent drop to 66,206 units, which still gave it nearly half, or 49.83 percent, of overall Campi-TMA sales.
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines was again second with 3,771 units sold last month, down 39.6 percent and 41.0 percent from March and a year earlier. Its four-month tally of 24,371 units — 18.4 percent of overall sales — was 18.1 percent less than January-April 2025.
Suzuki Philippines took third place with 1,339 units, 21.0 percent down from March and 14.2 percent lower on an annual basis. The company’s January to April total was 6,289 units, down 10.2 percent and equivalent to a 4.73-percent market share.
Overall EV sales rankings were not provided but Campi-TMA data showed Tesla Motors Philippines Corp. leading April battery EV sales at 92 units. Year to date, however, Vinfast Auto Philippines sold the most at 1,171 units.
Plugin EV sales for last month were led by Geely Motor Philippines Corp. at 493 units, but Jetour Auto Phil. Inc. took the top spot for January-April at 937 units.
Toyota dominated hybrid EV sales, with 2,870 units sold in April and 8,341 units year to date.
