Our hybrid and electric future
Mo r e buyers are looking to electrified vehicles as their next car and there’s good reason for it. Recent events have made it more favorable to own one.
With the rising cost of fuel, getting an electrified vehicle that uses less if not zero fossil fuel is an appealing proposition. Many malls and fuel stations have recently set up EV charging stations to ease worries about battery range anxiety. The recently-passed Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) law also offers number coding exemption to hybrids and electric vehicles to encourage their adoption. Finally, an executive order to further reduce tariffs on electric vehicles temporarily is awaiting the President’s signature.
For those that are unfamiliar, an electrified vehicle encompasses a variety of propulsion systems. These are cars that use either a gasoline-electric hybrid system or a fully-electric system to propel the car. Naturally, hybrids still need fuel, but don’t suffer from a limited range because the engine can take over when the batteries run out. Fully-electric vehicles are dependent on the battery, but by contrast have zero emissions and offer a completely quiet driving experience.
If these benefits sound appealing to you, we’ve gathered a list of all the electrified vehicles currently on offer.
Audi currently offers two fullyelectric models under its e-tron series: the e-tron SUV and e-tron GT. The etron SUV offers the typical sport utility shape and high clearance, but this time with fully-electric power. The e-tron GT, on the other hand, comes in a four-door sport coupe form and can even be had in RS high-performance form. The e-tron SUV boasts of 408 hp and has a range of 405 kilometers on a full charge. The e-tron GT has as much as 475 to 645-hp (RS) and with a range of 472 (RS) to 488 kilometers on a full charge. Prices are provided upon inquiry.
BMW in the Philippines has a fully electric model in the form of the iX. The BMW iX xDrive40 has a maximum output of 326 horsepower and torque peaks at 630 Nm. From a full charge, it boasts of a range of 372 kilometers. It’s now for sale at P6.290M. A second option from BMW is the iX3. Based on the current petrol powered X3, the iX3 is the fully electric version in the same shape, boasting of a range of 460-kilometers from a full charge. It’s priced at P4.590M.
Already in the Philippine market and offering hybrids for quite some time, BYD has decided to convert its entire vehicle lineup to fully-electric offerings. BYD has four fully-electric models on offer. It starts with the most accessible model, the Dolphin hatchback, priced at P1.798 million. Next is the TE EV (P2.398 million) and Han EV (P3.688 million). On the other higher end is the Tang crossover, serving as the larger family-friend offering, priced at P3.988 million.
Newcomer, Changan also offers a fully-electric passenger car that is available on an indent order basis. This mid-sized passenger sedan features a range of up to 550 kilometers on a single charge. The Eado is another fairly accessible EV option priced at P1.828 million.
Chery Auto has the Tiggo 8 PRO PHEV. This unique hybrid is part of the brand’s commitment to bringing customers value but also more luxury, fuel-savings performance, and technology in a crossover. The Tiggo 8 PRO PHEV is a hybrid with a plug. This lets you charge the car at home and use full electric power for the first couple of kilometers of your journey. Then the gas engine can take over. By including a petrol engine and a plug, it combines the best parts of hybrids and fully electric cars.
Fully electric pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Hummer EV may take a while to arrive, but those looking for a fully-electric pickup can already buy the Dongfeng Rich 6 EV. This electric pickup is based on the current Nissan Navara but boasts of a fully electric powertrain. Meralco has in fact ordered a number of these for its service fleet and is expecting delivery very soon.
Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 electric crossover is expected to be offered for sale later this year. The Ioniq 5 can reportedly drive for almost 500 kilometers with each charge. The crossover utility vehicle (CUV) was recognized as the 2022 World Car of the Year, and will arrive in the country in early 2023. Hyundai has already released the price, starting at P3.068M for the Standard Range (380-km) up to P3.698M for the Long Range (480-km). The vehicle is expected to launch in March this year.
Jaguar’s i-Pace is another vehicle that offers a more luxurious take on the fully-electric vehicle. This fastback SUV offers ample space for five passengers, up to 400-HP and a range of 470-km from a full charge. It’s currently priced at P7.59 million.
Another Korean brand, Kia, will be putting up a fight against Hyundai with its upcoming EV6. It’s an award-winning electric vehicle that was launched globally in 2021. The EV6 is powered by a battery pack that can give it up to 520 km of driving range. It comes in a number of variants that can generate 168-PS to as much as 577-PS. It’s not on sale yet, but will be sometime in March this year. Expect the price to be just under the P4M mark.
Those who want a more sustainable means of mobility in some pretty unforgiving terrain can look to Land Rover. Their most rugged SUV, the Defender will soon be available in hybrid form, called the P-400e variant (Price: TBA). Those that want a more luxurious drive can look to the Range Rover Sport P400e Dynamic SE (P12.490 million).
Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, offers sustainability with luxury with as many as six hybrid models on offer They range from sedans to SUVs in various sizes. The Lexus hybrid lineup starts with the IS300h (P3.038 million), ES350h (P4.218 million), LS500h (P9.428 million), NX350h (P3.438 million), RX450h (P5.398 million), and one of the most accessible, the UX250h (P3.058 million).
Another SUV you can buy right now is Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV. Like the Chery, the Outlander is also a Plugin Hybrid that can charge the battery and extend your EV range. Another feature it has is the ability to be hooked up to your home (with the right equipment), to power vital appliances in the event of a power outage. The Outlander is also a hybrid, which means you can keep on driving even after the battery has been depleted. You can buy this SUV for P2.998 million.
Nissan has long been promoting its electrification technologies. This year, it now has two options in the form of the fully electric LEAF and the all-new Kicks e-POWER hybrid. The LEAF offers silent motoring and even comes with a unique one-pedal driving mode where you only step on the throttle while regenerative braking takes over once it is released. The 2022 model has just been launched and it’s priced at P2.798 million.
The Kicks, on the other hand brings an EV-like driving experience without the range anxiety thanks to its 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that charges the battery pack on demand. This powers the electric motor that drives the front wheels of the Kicks – providing instantaneous torque and acceleration electric vehicles are known for. Like electric cars, it also provides a quieter drive and can also regain power from systems like regenerative braking. The Kicks comes in several variants, starting at P1.209 million, all the way up to P1.509 million.
Easily one of the most appealing aspects of fully-electric cars is their ability to deliver maximum torque almost instantly. As you can guess, performance brands like Porsche are taking full advantage of this. As such, their fully-electric Porsche Taycan boasts of 0-100 acceleration in as quick as just three seconds. In spite of this amazing performance, the Taycan is also a luxury vehicle, capable of seating four in opulence. The price will be given upon request, but this vehicle will definitely be in the eight-digit territory.
Launched just this year is quite possibly the most affordable and practical hybrid option yet: the Ertiga Hybrid. As you can guess, this is the hybrid version of Suzuki’s popular seven-seater MPV. It’s powered by the same 1.5-liter engine, but now includes an integrated starter motor to provide stop-start functionality. Best of all, all variants of this model are hybrid, which makes it one of the most affordable in the country. It starts at P954,000 for the entry level five-speed manual, all the way up to P1,153,000 for the top-of-theline automatic.