It's an all-woman-driven Dakar 2024 Astara campaign as the Spanish mobility company is set to field two entries in the treacherous desert race this coming January 5 to 19, 2024. Set to drive the Astara 02 Concept, Laia Sanz and Patricia Pita will have co-drivers Maurizio Gerini and Paolo Boggioni, respectively, to guide them through the 12 stages crossing the Saudi Arabian desert. Astara, for those who do not know yet, is the distributor of Peugeot and GAC in the Philippines. It also operates in

The 11th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS) had a much more lively atmosphere compared to the one in 2022. Held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from October 19 to 21, 2023, the event had many more visitors who were curious about joining the “electric revolution.” Indeed, it felt more like a smaller version of the annual Manila International Auto Show. This is hardly surprising because the government has granted numerous incentives to EV buyers who want to veer away from ever-ri

Disclosure: Astara Philippines, the official importer and distributor of GAC Motor Philippines, kindly lent me a 2023 GAC GS4 for eight days. It arrived with a full tank of fuel and loaded RFID cards. They always say, “Never judge a book by its cover.” But experience has taught me (and perhaps many of us) that carrying preconceived notions about people or things can actually be useful. In my work as a reporter, I generally talk to high-level officials when I want to discuss the intricacies and n

Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) officially launched its corporate electric vehicle (EV) fleet transformation program on Aug. 31, 2023 by presenting its new battery EVs. The launch kickstarts its support for Republic Act 11697 or the "Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act" (EVIDA) and its contribution towards greener and cleaner mobility in the country. Industrial and commercial companies, public transport operators and government agencies will be required to have fleets that are at

BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle maker giving Tesla a run for its money as the largest EV manufacturer in the world, is set to formally announce its expansion in the country by the latter part of 2023. This is according to James Ng, Managing Director of BYD Singapore and the Philippines. He is also currently holding office in BGC to supervise the BYD brand’s expansion efforts in the country. In an interview on the sidelines of the official launch of BYD in Brunei Darussalam on July 8, 2023, Ng

Chinese carmaker BYD seems intent on making an electric-vehicle (EV) lineup of aquatic friends. After the Seal compact executive sedan and the Dolphin subcompact hatchback, the company is now planning to unveil a mini EV that hangs out near the ocean but has wings. Well, sort of. Based on photos from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the government agency that handles vehicle homologation, the BYD Seagull will take on the likes of the adorable Ora White Cat smal