A Chinese car brand has finally entered the top five of Philippine car sales rankings. Well, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers in the Philippines has not officially released sales for 2025 yet. But based on the last numbers we have from October, it’s safe to say BYD Cars Philippines, under ACMobility, is the number three automotive brand in the country with sales of 26,122 units.
This is a monumental shift. For decades, carmakers have fought for the third spot, because that was the only spot they could fight for. Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) have firmly entrenched themselves in the number one and two spots, respectively. Together, the two dominant Japanese brands carved out more than two-thirds of the local market.
BYD has effectively leapfrogged the other brands alternating at the third spot, namely Nissan, Ford, and Suzuki, with a 446% increase from 2024. If BYD increases at the same rate this year, it would overtake Mitsubishi, but still fall far short of Toyota’s dominance. It will be interesting to see how the Japanese leaders adapt to this challenge. TMP launched its first battery electric vehicle last month. And MMPC has yet to release hybrid models, although management has said they are working on it.
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BYD’s meteoric sales can be attributed to the Seagull EV, with 4,608 units sold, and the Sealion 6. The Chinese carmaker also launched a plethora of new models last year. And 2026 looks like more of the same.
“2025 marked a significant milestone in the advancement and broader adoption of New Energy Vehicles in the country,” said Bob Palanca, managing director of BYD Cars Philippines. “BYD’s strong growth underscores our sustained commitment to democratizing electrified mobility. It demonstrates that when innovation is paired with accessibility, the market responds positively. We remain firmly focused on making electric vehicles attainable for Filipino households nationwide.”
BYD and ACMobility also renewed their distribution partnership for passenger cars in the Philippines. The partnership that began in August 2023 successfully rolled out 79 dealerships by the end of 2025.
“These milestones are a clear signal of our unwavering, long-term commitment to the Philippine market, ” says Adam Hu, Country Head of BYD Philippines. “Together with ACMobility, we are committed to fueling this momentum and making new energy vehicles the standard, not the exception, for Filipino drivers.”
