BYD climbs Cordillera

BYD Cars Philippines has rolled out the first BYD Sealion 5 DM-i taxi fleet in the country, with 20 units now assigned to Highland Transport Service Cooperative in Northern Luzon.

The turnover was done with dealer partner SEAelectric and places the plug-in hybrid crossover in daily public transport duty around La Trinidad and the wider Cordillera area.

The deployment gives the region a new look at taxi operations. The Sealion 5 DM-i uses BYD’s Super DM-i system, which leans on electric drive for daily use while still giving operators the longer range needed for uphill routes, changing road conditions and regular passenger trips.

That matters in Benguet. Taxis there do not deal with flat city roads alone. They climb, descend and run through roads that can be harder on fuel and vehicles.

BYD Cars Philippines said the fleet is meant to help drivers lower running costs while giving passengers a quieter and more comfortable ride.

Highland Transport Service Cooperative will use the 20 units as part of its re-fleeting program. The cooperative aims to update its transport service and improve long-term operating efficiency.

Bob Palanca, managing director of BYD Cars Philippines, said the rollout shows how the Sealion 5 DM-i can serve operators beyond city streets.

He said the model offers an efficient and cost-effective option for drivers who work across Benguet and nearby areas.

The handover also gathered representatives from BYD Cars Philippines, SEAelectric and HTSC. Present during the event were Joel Sevilla, general manager of BYD La Union; Bob Palanca, managing director of BYD Cars Philippines; Pastor Joel Tabingan, vice chairman of HTSC; Marwin Cabading, chairman of HTSC; Glenn Yu, chief executive officer of SEAelectric Philippines and dealer of BYD Baguio; and Francis Yu, chairman of SEAOIL and dealer principal of SEAelectric Philippines.

The Cordillera fleet adds another public transport use case for BYD in the Philippines. It also gives the brand a foothold in a market where operators watch fuel use closely and where vehicle downtime can quickly affect earnings.

BYD Cars Philippines operates under ACMobility, the Ayala Group’s mobility platform. Mobility Access Philippines Ventures Inc. is the official distributor of BYD passenger cars in the country.

The brand now accepts test drive bookings and reservations through 81 authorized dealerships nationwide.

Its network covers key sites in Quezon Avenue, Makati, Bonifacio Global City, Greenfield Mandaluyong, Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, Fairview, Commonwealth, Alabang, Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod.

ACMobility also distributes Kia, operates select BYD and Kia dealerships, runs the country’s largest Isuzu dealership network, and has expanded into the luxury market through DENZA. Its electric vehicle charging network now covers more than 200 locations nationwide.