In recent years, the popularity of Chinese auto brands has risen in the Philippines and it's easy to see why. The cars they offer are not only affordable, but are also laden with advanced features previously available only in more expensive brands.

They now also look striking and different from the ones coming from Japan, Korea, Europe, and America, thanks to some of the world's imminent car designers that these Chinese automakers partnered with.

As the region's electric vehicle transition heats up, there was even a surge in demand for China-made hybrid and electric vehicles, prompting the likes of Legado Motors Inc. to introduce last year a hybrid and two EV models of Dongfeng, namely: Aeolus Huge hybrid crossover SUV, Forthing Friday pure electric compact crossover, and NANObox pure electric micro hatchback.

The three Dongfeng vehicles were presented in last Saturday's "eyeball" event at Legado Yard in Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City, where prospective buyers and loyal clients of Legado Car Sales gathered for an afternoon snack and fellowship. Booths were also set up for accessories partners of the dealership.

The P1,888,888 Aeolus Huge is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that is assisted by an electric motor. Power is sent to a multi-mode transmission that drives the front wheels, generating 242 horsepower and a whopping 540 Nm of torque. The Aeolus Huge has three drive modes to choose from: Sports, Eco, and Comfort.

As Dongfeng's flagship EV, the Forthing Friday is powered by a 57.8 kilowatt/hour lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack that enables this crossover SUV to cover the distance of 430 km (for the P1.98 million Standard Luxury variant) or even 630 kilometers (for the P2.58 million Exclusive variant) on a single charge. Its single electric motor is capable of generating a peak power of 201 hp and 340 Nm of torque.

Recharging the battery can be done with a standard 6.6 kW onboard charger that can fully recharge the Forthing Friday EV in 10 hours. However, when using a fast DC charging system, charging from 30 percent to 80 percent could be achieved in 35 minutes.

At P888,000, the NANObox is Dongfeng's most affordable offering. It's powered by a 28.9-kWh ternary lithium battery pack that runs a single electric motor, producing 44 hp and a generous 125 Nm of torque. It can cover the distance of 351 km on a single charge and has a top speed of 100 kilometer per hour, which makes it a perfect zero-emissions city car.

It comes with an onboard 6.6-kW charger which can fully recharge the vehicle in less than 4 hours. With a DC charging system, however, it can recharge the NANObox from 30 percent to 80 percent in just 30 minutes.

Indeed, with these three offerings from Dongfeng, Legado Motors is confident that more Filipino families will trust auto brands from China, adding that these buyers will be assured of sufficient stock of spare parts should they need repairs as well as quick and reliable after-sales service.

Legado Motors Inc. is a wholly-owned Filipino corporation established in 2017 by former Ilocos Sur governor and now Narvacan Ilocos Sur Mayor Luis "Chavit" Singson.

The company is engaged in the business of importation, sales and distribution of brand new Dongfeng passenger vehicles. Until recently it was also the official distributor of the GAC brand of vehicles.