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Changan’s ‘global EV offensive’ could bring more electrified cars to the Philippines

The automaker’s new Avatr EV brand has electronics giant Huawei under its belt. Will it be enough?

Autodeal on Apr 26, 2022

Changan is a brand that’s starting to make a name for itself in the country. With well-received vehicles like the refreshed CS35 Plus now on sale in the country, it only makes sense to ask—what’s next for Changan Motor Philippines?

Back in November 2021, Changan Auto Global launched its new EV brand, Avatr. The new company is a joint venture between Changa, smartphone giant Huawei, and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd., a leading lithium battery manufacturer.

Avatr operates as an independent company, producing vehicles based on new EV platforms and automotive chips designed by Huawei. The brand says it’s set to launch its first model this year, boasting 200 kW supercharging capabilities, a 700-km single-charge range, and a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration rate of under four seconds. These are certainly impressive specs, but will it matter to local spectators?

Given these exciting developments, Changan is truly on a massive EV offensive. Under its new energy program, the Shangri-La Plan, it aims to be a global leader in EV by 2030. With the rising fuel prices and the Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations Act (Senate Bill No. 1382) soon to be passed into law, we are optimistic that the much-desired EV ecosystem will be established, so that more and more Filipinos will be given the chance to enjoy the benefits of owning one of world’s best-selling pure electric cars.

Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo
President and CEO, Changan Motor Philippines, Inc. (CMPI)

It seems that Changan is ready to cement its status as one of the EV pioneers in the Philippines. With China becoming the most dominant EV maker in the world in 2021 (53 percent of global production), it’s not unreasonable to expect that it will be a main source of electrified models for the Philippines. On top of that, Changan is investing $12.55 billion USD in NEVs through 2025, with sales projected to reach 1.5 million units or 35 percent of its total sales that year. We think it’s only a matter of time before we see mass-market EVs from Changan patrolling our local roads.