Germany is keen on selling electric vehicles (EVs) in the Philippines as it explores ways to help the Southeast Asian country mitigate climate change, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Philippines Economic Counsellor Dr. David Klebs told DAILY TRIBUNE.

“German cars are available in the Philippines. In the end, we want electric cars available in all price ranges,” he said.

China’s aggressive marketing

Klebs said Germany is intensifying research on EVs to reduce carbon emissions from the entire energy industry amid China’s aggressive marketing and production of EVs for the Filipino and the global markets.

“We see the proximity of China here and its strong footprint in electric vehicles but Germany and other European companies are developing research,” he said.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, EVs’ overall carbon emissions are reduced as these vehicles can use renewable energy sources and consume 87 to 91 percent of energy from a car battery.

On the other hand, the agency said gasoline cars use only 16 to 25 percent of the gas energy to keep the vehicle in motion.

Greener ecosystem

To build a greener ecosystem in the Philippines, Klebs said German companies are looking to enhance and maximize efforts by the Philippine government for the energy sector.

“We need to make sure German companies are ready to set up devices for offshore and onshore wind and other infrastructure and green jobs,” he said.

“Germany has been helping the Philippines to develop strategies, to think about those that emit less carbon dioxide,” Klebs continued.

The Department of Energy aims to expand the use of EVs to 2.5 million units by 2028, while increasing the share of renewable energy to 35 percent of the country’s entire power mix by 2030 and to 50 percent by 2040.

China’s BYD emerged in 2023 as the world’s leading manufacturer of EVs, with 1.8 million units sold.

Last year’s data from Standard Insights also showed 50.8 percent of Filipinos, especially the youth, preferring EVs as their top transport mode.

2025 Sustainability Forum

Klebs’ statements came ahead of the 2025 Sustainability Forum: The Green Economies of Tomorrowo be held on 31 January at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, Makati City.

Twenty speakers and discussion facilitators will participate in the forum, including officials from the Asian Development Bank, the Philippine Climate Change Commission, and internationally-awarded architecture firm, Palafox Associates.