THE 10th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) kicked off on June 4 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, running under the theme “Forward in Every Drive.” Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) officials opened the country’s premier, biennial, four-day motor show with a ceremony attended by automotive executives, industry stakeholders, government representatives and members of the media.
In his welcome address, Campi President Jose Maria Atienza said the Philippine automotive industry remains “vibrant and competitive.” He cited the growing adoption of new technologies and electrified vehicles among manufacturers and highlighted the industry’s commitment to innovation, electrification and sustainable mobility.Atienza said the latest edition of PIMS provides “a venue for manufacturers to showcase emerging technologies and mobility solutions that address evolving consumer demands.” Seventeen of the 32 Campi member brands participated in this year’s edition, making it one of the largest gatherings of vehicle manufacturers in the country to date. The exhibitors include BAIC, Chery, Foton, Geely, Honda, Isuzu, Jetour, Kia, MG, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Omoda and Jaecoo, Subaru, Suzuki, Tesla, Toyota and VinFast.More than 150 vehicles were on display in the two exhibition halls, with approximately half of the models featuring electrified powertrains. Visitors were given test drive opportunities to over 50 different makes and models around the World Trade Center area during the event.At 1 p.m., brand launches began, starting with Suzuki introducing its e-Vitara, followed by the latest Isuzu D-Max. Nissan’s new electrified vehicle lineup includes the new Kicks e-Power and the Navara Pro PHEV, while the Primera EV was presented as a teaser. Omoda and Jaecoo released the J5 full-EV SUV. In total, 12 of the 17 exhibitors launched new vehicles; nearly all featured electrified powertrains.Toyota’s multi-pathway approach included launching the highly anticipated Hilux BEV 4x4 pickup, which features a dual-motor AWD system providing up to 315 kilometers of range using a 59.2-kilowatt-hour battery. Toyota also introduced the LC300 hybrid, the first in its luxury vehicle lineup. Mitsubishi presented the latest Outlander PHEV and its latest X-Force. Full-electric vehicles from Tesla, which now features a built-in Grok interface, and VinFast’s MP7 completed the 12 launches.Nearly 50 percent of the brands introduced new energy vehicles.
