AC Motors acquires BYD distributorship in PH

Following rumors circling the Philippine automotive industry over the past week, AC Motors has finally made it official: it has acquired the distributorship of BYD (Build Your Dreams) electric vehicles (EV) in the country.

The announcement was made today led by the new AC Motors head, Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala.

Prior to the acquisition, the distributorship of BYD nationwide was under Solar Transport Automotive Resources Corporation (STAR Corp.) under Mark Tieng. Following the latest development, the firm has become a part of the brand’s local dealer network — the same fate that happened to Legado Motors and Astara Philippines.

According to the son of Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, the partnership forged between one of the biggest multi-brand firms locally and the world’s leading EV marque serves as a “cornerstone of the group’s goal of accelerating the future of mobility in the country.”

He also shared that the goal of AC Motors is to become the leading platform for new energy vehicles in the country. “This includes building up BYD to become a key brand in the Philippine market, with leading share among EV brands and a meaningful presence in the automotive market as a whole,” he added.

For his part, BYD Philippines and Singapore Managing Director James Ng expressed confidence in the newly-formed collaboration with AC Motors.

“BYD looks forward to working hand-in-hand with Ayala to promote the development of the new energy vehicles industry in The Philippines. Together, we create a greener, more sustainable and brighter future, as we embark on this exciting journey,” he said.

In addition, Antonio Zara III — the concurrent AC Motors Automobile Group President — will lead the local BYD distributorship named “Mobility Access Philippines.”

To note, the BYD roster in the country is made up of the Dolphin, Han EV, and Tang — all of which were displayed by the former distributor at the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) 2023. While the brand manufactures both commercial and passenger EV models, Zobel de Ayala noted that AC Motors will only focus on distributing the latter.

Photos from Ruben Manahan IV

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