Tesla is now officially in the Philippines

The much-awaited Philippine debut of American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has finally happened!

But wait, aren’t their vehicles already available locally? Well previous launches were done by gray market importers. This launch marks the official entry of the brand under its mother company. 

The launch of Tesla in the Philippines is highlighted by the opening of its first showroom, dubbed the Tesla Experience Center, located in Uptown Parade in Bonifacio Global City, as well as the introduction of their initial local lineup, composed of the Model 3 and Model Y, with customer deliveries expected to begin in early 2025.

The Tesla Experience Center features sales, customer delivery, and service facilities. Part of it will be the Tesla Design Studio which will allow customers to customize their vehicle’s exterior, interior and even individual features. This means vehicles will be produced and will arrive in the country in the exact specification selected by the customer. 

In other markets, Tesla is also known for its Tesla Supercharger network. The first supercharger station in the country will be located at the basement parking of Uptown Mall, just across its showroom. 

Tesla owners can use this on a pay-per-use basis with a rate of Php 19.00 per kWh. This gives an estimated cost of Php 1,140 for a full charge. Four charging slots are available at the first location.

Under the brand’s plans for the country, additional Tesla Supercharger stations will be set-up in popular destinations across the country and will be announced in the future.

Now let’s talk about their initial lineup.

Starting with the Tesla Model 3, it is a midsize fastback sedan and was the world’s top-selling EV from 2018 to 2020. It available in three variants with the following prices:

• Model 3 RWD – Php 2,109,000
• Model 3 Long Range – Php 2,489,000
• Model 3 Performance – Php 3,099,000

We don’t have the exact specifications yet but Tesla says that the Model 3 features a refined exterior for optimized aerodynamics and a refreshed interior design. 

Its fully-electric powertrain can offer up to 629 kilometers of range on the Long Range variant, and a 0 to 100 kph acceleration time of just 3.1 seconds on the Performance variant.

On the other hand, the Tesla Model Y is a midsize crossover which took the title as the world’s bestselling vehicle in 2023. It is also available in three variants with the following prices:

• Model Y RWD – Php 2,369,000
• Model Y Long Range – Php 2,689,000
• Model Y Performance – Php 3,299,000

The Model Y offers 2.1 cubic meters of cargo space together with seating for five people including the driver. Its powertrain provides a 0 to 100 km/h of 3.7 seconds on the Performance variant, and an estimated driving range of up to 533 kilometers.

You probably want to know more so we’ll have a separate write-up with more details on the two vehicles up soon.

With the official entry of Tesla in the Philippines, plus the rather competitive pricing their lineup offers, we won’t be surprised to see their vehicles become mainstream in our market. In case you want to see and experience them for yourself, the Tesla Experience Center in Uptown Bonifacio is now operational. The Model 3 and Model Y will also be on display at the Uptown Mall until November 15, 2024.