Rising fuel prices and the threat of supply disruptions has had a dramatic impact on the preference of new car buyers. As Filipino buyers seek value-for-money offerings, there has been a clear shift from diesel-powered SUVs and pickup trucks to electrified crossovers and SUVs.
As shown in the first quarter 2026 new car sales data provided by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA), electrified vehicle sales—xEVs—have jumped dramatically. For the first three months, xEVs account for 11.17 percent of all new cars sold (11,800 units), up 36.2 percent from 2025’s 8,664-unit figure.
In March alone, 6,148 xEVs were sold—a dramatic 224.4 percent year-on-year rise, and even more telling of the quick consumer shift, a 101.3 percent month-on-month jump versus February 2026. True enough, xEVs now account for 17.03 percent of all new vehicles sold.
Among the local players that have navigated the shift somewhat is Ford. While overall sales are still down 27.7 percent year-on-year, the carmaker’s decision to offer both a HEV in the form of the Ford Territory and a BEV in the form of the Mustang Mach-E has paid off remarkably well.
By itself, the Territory Hybrid has moved 1,156 units making it one of the best selling hybrid nameplate in the country. In fact, it makes up 1 out of every 10 HEVs sold locally, putting Ford as the second best-selling HEV brand just behind Toyota which offers no less than eight HEV models.
Just last month, Ford moved 460 Territory Hybrid units—a dramatic 22 percent jump month-on-month helping them pull away from the likes of MG (113 units), Nissan (133 units), and Honda (276 units).
What was once a niche segment of the local industry, battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales have also seen an uptrend. With 2,289 units sold in the first quarter, it’s a sizeable 122.9 percent increase over the same three months of 2025, far outpacing the growth of HEVs (9.9 percent). In March, 1,787 BEVs were sold compared to just 305 units in February—a 485.9 percent month-on-month and a 400.6 percent year-on-year growth.
The BEV segment is much more challenging with more players, driven mostly by Chinese brands. However, there are still buyers on the look out for premium, high-performance BEVs such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Last March, the all-electric Mustang had its best month yet with 18 units sold driven by larger cash subsidies and aggressive financing offers. This has helped drive up their year-to-date sales to 25 units.
Although it’s still smaller than VinFast (1,171 units) and Tesla (469 units), it has cemented Ford as an important player in the BEV segment.
And this number will no doubt grow even more with the introduction of a new Mustang Mach-E variant last month. The RWD Premium complements the existing AWD variant introduced last year and comes with a much more attainable starting retail price (P 2,599,000) for a limited time.
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