Hybrid and Electric Cars in the Philippines
6 min read
The hybrid car market in the Philippines is not yet very well known or accepted. That is a sad reality considering how much pollution we get everyday from all the cars on our roads today. You probably noticed the thick smog that covers our skies almost daily. Thankfully, the past few years have been good as the government has started supporting the entry of hybrid and electric vehicles into the country. Different car manufacturers have also taken an important step and have begun bringing in hybrid and electric models.
While most Filipinos, especially those who are firm in their belief in old technology, still do not widely accept that hybrid and electric cars are the future, there are a handful of models already available in our market today. We’ve compiled what you can consider if you want to become a more eco-friendly driver.
Audi
Just last year Audi launched three new models for the Philippine market. The german luxury brand brought in the A6 midsize and A8 full-size executive sedans, and the Q8 midsize luxury crossover. These three models are all equipped with mild-hybrid powertrains.
The A6 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged TFSI engine paired to a 12-volt mild-hybrid system with lithium-ion batteries. It makes a total output of 243 hp and 370 Nm of torque paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The A8 on the other hand is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine. It has a maximum output of 338 hp and 500 Nm of torque. Upgrade to the A8L and it gets a mild-hybrid system as well. Lastly the Q8 is powered by the same 3.0-liter V6 with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
BYD
Not really that popular but it’s available here. The BYD Tang Hybrid Super Sport is a 7-seater hybrid electric crossover SUV named after the Tang Dynasty of China. The Tang is powered by two 150 horsepower electric motors and a 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine. The two have a combined maximum output of 505 horsepower. It can also run in pure electric mode for 80 kilometers.
As it is a plug-in hybrid, the Tang’s 18.4 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery can be charged from a typical 220-volt socket at home. Pricing for this plug-in hybrid crossover is at Php 3,288,000
Right now we’re not really familiar with the current BYD Philippine lineup but it looks like they also have fully-electric vehicles called the E6 and S1 EV, as well as another hybrid called the Qin.
Geely
Another Chinese brand that offers a hybrid is Geely. The company which relaunched in the country last year with the Coolray subcompact SUV recently previewed the Azkarra compact crossover SUV. It is set to compete with the likes of the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Subaru Forester. What sets it apart from the rest of the segment is its powertrain. It is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder gas engine shared with the smaller Coolray. The main difference is that it gets a 48-volt Electric Motor Synergy mild-hybrid system. Total output is at 190 hp and 300 Nm of torque.
As of writing, the new Geely Azkarra is in its pre-selling stage and will come with a price tag of Php 1,598,000 for the top-spec version with the mild-hybrid system.
Hyundai
In 2018, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) launched the Ioniq Hybrid. This 5-door liftback competes with the Toyota Prius, its only direct competitor in the country. It is powered by a 1.6-liter gas engine that produces 103 hp and 147 Nm of torque combined with a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) that produces 42.88 hp and 170 Nm of torque. These are paired to a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Hyundai is also the only mainstream car brand in the country to offer fully electric vehicles (We purposely did not include Nissan as their fully-electric Leaf is not yet on sale as of writing). The company sells both the Ioniq and Kona with fully-electric powertrains. The Ioniq EV is powered by a 360-volt electric motor with 118 hp and 295 Nm of torque. The Kona Electric is powered by a PMSM that produces 201 hp and 395 Nm of torque.
The Ioniq Hybrid retails for Php 1,548,000, the Ioniq EV for Php 1,868,000 and the Kona electric is priced at Php 2,388,000
Land Rover
Another luxury brand that offers a mild-hybrid powered vehicle is Land Rover with the Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic HSE MHEV which retails for Php 6,190,000.
This top-spec version of the Evoque is powered by the same 2.0-liter gas engine from the R-Dynamic HSE Petrol which produces 246 hp and 365Nm of torque. The mild-hybrid system produces an additional 50 hp and 35 Nm of torque for a total output of 296 hp and 400 Nm of torque.
Lexus
Lexus was one of the first car brands to offer hybrid vehicles in the country. Today, the luxury brand which is a division of Toyota offers what could be the widest array of hybrid vehicles locally with the CT200h, GS450h, LS500h, NX300h, and RX450h.
The CT200h is powered by the combination of a 1.8-liter gas engine with an output of 98 hp and 142 Nm of torque, and an electric motor with an output of 80 hp and 207 Nm of torque. For the sedans, the GS450h is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine which produces 288 hp and 352 Nm of torque combined with a 650-volt electric motor with an output of 197 hp and 275 Nm of torque. As for the flagship, the LS500h is powered by the combination of a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine and two electric motors. The total output of the powertrain is at 354 hp and 650 Nm of torque.
The crossovers on the other hand, starting with the NX300h, is powered by a 2.5-liter gas engine with an output of 153 hp and 210 Nm of torque. It is paired with an electric motor with an output of 194 hp and 409 Nm of torque. Lastly, the RX450h is powered by the combination of a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine with 259 hp and 335 Nm of torque, and a 288-volt electric motor giving it a total output of 308 hp and 474 Nm of torque.
Pricing for the Lexus CT200h is at Php 2,458,000. The GS450h is priced at Php 4,988,000, the LS500h at Php 9,468,000. The crossovers on the other hand are priced at Php 3,678,000 for the NX300h and Php 5,178,000 for the RX450h.
Toyota
Toyota, just like its luxury division, Lexus, also has some experience in offering hybrids locally for quite some time now. The company initially offered the third generation of its Prius liftback locally and currently sells the third generation version. They have also been offering the smaller Prius C subcompact hatchback for around the same length of time. Recently the company launched a hybrid version of the Corolla Altis compact sedan.
The Prius is powered by a 1.8-liter gasoline engine paired with an electric motor. Combined, they have a maximum output of 132 hp and 207 Nm of torque. The Prius C is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with an output of 98 hp and 111 Nm of torque, and an electric motor with an output of 60 hp and 169 Nm of torque.
The most recent addition to Toyota PH’s hybrid lineup, the Corolla Altis Hybrid is powered by a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with an output of 97 hp and 142 Nm of torque, combined with an electric motor with an output of 71 hp. Total output is at 120 hp. One fun fact is that out of 10 new Corolla Altises we’ve seen on the road, probably 8 of them are hybrids. That’s a good sign.
As for pricing, the Prius goes for Php 2,339,000 and the Prius C at Php 1,970,000. Unfortunately both can only be purchased by order and are not readily available for release. The Corolla Altis Hybrid on the other hand is priced at a friendlier at Php 1,580,000 and is readily available at Toyota dealerships.
Volvo
Volvo Philippines recently joined all the other car companies in offering hybrid versions of their models. Volvo now sells here the plug-in hybrid versions of the S90, XC60, and XC90.
All three models are powered by the same powertrain, a 2.0-liter T8 engine with an electric motor. Total output is 407 hp and 640 Nm of torque.
The S90 T8 PHEV is priced at Php 5,950,000, the XC60 T8 PHEV at Php 5,795,000, and the XC90 T8 PHEV at Php 7,995,000.
Images from car manufacturers’ websites.
