AC Motors, the automotive unit of the Ayala Group, will actively explore bringing in electric vehicles (EVs) to the market this year but said it will need support from the government.
Antonio Zara III, AC Motors president for Automobile Group, in his speech at a media event on Monday said the plan is in support of the Ayala group’s commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Ayala is the only Philippine conglomerate to commit to, and support, such an ambitious goal.
But Zara said government must consider lowering import duties aside from excise tax privileges to make EV ownership more accessible.
For Zara, there is a way to protect strategic sectors such as the public utility vehicles while allowing easier importation of private vehicles.
The EV law and its corresponding roadmap is about to be finalized.
AC Motors groups together five four-wheel brands–distributor brands Volkswagen, Kia, and Maxus, and Ayala-owned dealers Honda and Isuzu.
Zara is upbeat AC Motors will continue to grow in 2022, starting off the year with the launch of the all-new Kia Carnival.
It will also strengthen its presence in the truck market which is recovering faster from the pandemic. Further expansion of network and digitization will likewise continue.
Zara said AC Motors remained competitive in 2021 with each of AC Motors’ five four-wheel brands introduced new models, thereby keeping customer interest and brand awareness moving forward: Maxus introduced the D60; Volkswagen the T-Cross and Multivan; Kia the Sorento; for Isuzu, the D-MAX and mu-X; and for Honda, the Civic, City, and City Hatchback.
He said AC Motors brands also digitizing customers’ sales and aftersales journeys resulted in as high as 40 percent of monthly sales.
Despite the pandemic, AC Motors continued to increase total dealer network, expanding from 85 outlets in 2020 to 95 in 2021.
Zara said this resulted in sales growth of 30 percent, outpacing the industry’s 18 percent. – Irma Isip
