Maritess Chua

30/09/2026

Toyota just marked its seventh consecutive month of falling global sales. The culprit isn't a secret: China's car buyers are abandoning traditional engines faster than legacy automakers can keep up. Global deliveries for Toyota and Lexus slid 7.5% year-on-year to 823,618 vehicles. It is a stark reminder of how quickly the ground is shifting under the automotive giant's feet. As Chinese domestic brands flood the market with cheap, tech-heavy electric vehicles, foreign giants are losing their grip.

As reported by The Japan Times, the damage was heaviest in China itself. Sales there collapsed by 23%. Local buyers, feeling the pinch of a sluggish real estate market, are increasingly cost-conscious. Rising gas prices have soured them on traditional combustion engines, driving a massive migration toward pure EVs and plug-in hybrids. Toyota simply doesn't have the electric lineup ready to fight back on that turf yet. In fact, Toyota is actually weathering the storm better than its closest domestic rivals. Honda’s sales in China recently plummeted by nearly half, while Nissan watched its deliveries cut in more than half over the same period. They are pivoting to a "China-for-China" model—essentially tearing up the old playbook to design cars locally using Chinese tech suppliers who actually understand what the local market wants.

Fortunately for Toyota, the rest of the world is keeping them afloat. Home-market sales in Japan jumped 9.1% thanks to a wave of fresh models, and Europe chipped in with a modest 2.6% gain. There were still pockets of trouble elsewhere—U.S. sales dipped 4.4% and the Middle East cratered by 37.5%—but the broader picture isn't entirely bleak. Demand for Toyota's traditional hybrids remains fierce. The company still expects to clear 5 million hybrid sales globally for the first time, buying them precious time to figure out their next electric move.

30/09/2026

Geely Auto Group just raised the stakes in the global electric vehicle race. The automaker quietly rolled out its next-generation ultra-fast charging hardware—the Smart Charging C12—across five major Chinese cities: Hangzhou, Shanghai, Ningbo, Jiaxing, and Xi'an. Boasting a staggering peak output of 2,250 kW (or 2.25 megawatts) per connector, the system is a direct shot at domestic rivals like BYD, whose own "Flash Charging" maxes out at 1.5 MW. In initial tests with Geely's premium Zeekr and Lynk & Co models, the stations charged batteries from 10% to 70% capacity in a mere 4.5 minutes. A near-full charge—97%—took just 8 minutes and 40 seconds.

Geely’s workaround relies on its proprietary Xingrui PowerMind AI energy model. Instead of reacting to heat after it builds up, a predictive cooling algorithm looks 30 seconds into the future, constantly throttling and shifting power to keep battery temperatures strictly below 65 degree celsius. The company claims this preemptive thermal management actually reduces battery degradation, stretching overall battery lifespans by more than 20%.

This five-city deployment is just the opening salvo. Geely plans to blanket China with 22,000 charging stations and over 100,000 individual charging guns by the end of 2027. In a hyper-competitive market where range anxiety is fading, the battleground has shifted. It is no longer just about how far an EV can go on a single charge, but how fast it can get back on the road.

29/09/2026

The BYD Sealion 5 has broken a flawless streak for the Chinese automaker, but not in a way the brand wanted. The plug-in hybrid medium SUV was just hit with a disappointing three-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety rating—marking the first time a BYD vehicle has failed to secure a perfect five-star score. BYD did not voluntarily put the Sealion 5 forward for testing. Instead, the independent crash-test authority purchased and evaluated the vehicle using taxpayer money, subjecting it to its toughest assessment criteria yet: the newly introduced 2026–2028 "Stages of Safety" protocols.

When it came to surviving a crash, the SUV held its own. It scored a respectable 79% for physical occupant protection. The wheels fell off, however, when evaluating the vehicle's active crash-avoidance technology. The Sealion 5’s low-score came in the Crash Avoidance and Safe Driving sections of ANCAP's testing, in which it only scored 51 percent and 48 percent respectively, according to the ANCAP report. During track tests, the emergency lane-keeping system failed to activate when drifting toward a road edge. The Sealion 5 also lacked critical modern tech, missing features like child presence detection, seatbelt misuse alerts, and automated eCall functionality.

From a regulatory standpoint, this changes nothing for the Philippine market. The Sealion 5 fully complies with all mandatory local vehicle safety and construction standards. ANCAP subjected the vehicle to its brand-new, aggressively toughened 2026–2028 "Stages of Safety" protocols. Had the Sealion 5 been tested under the older rules when it was originally designed, it likely would have scored much higher. Ultimately, if you buy or own a Sealion 5 locally, you are driving a vehicle that will protect you well in a physical collision.

29/09/2026

The Huawei-backed Luxeed brand just dropped its newest contender into China's brutal EV arena: the Luxeed RX. Born from a partnership between tech powerhouse Huawei and Chery Automobile, this mid-size electric crossover officially went on sale on September 28, 2026, with a starting price of 259,800 yuan (around PhP 2.42 million). It joins the highly publicized Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) ecosystem, aiming its sights squarely at high-profile rivals like the Xiaomi YU7. Physically, the SUV commands a serious footprint. It stretches 5,020 mm long and sits on a massive 3,000 mm wheelbase, giving it a low, aggressive stance that belies its spacious interior.

The RX rides on Huawei’s sophisticated Tuling platform. Buyers can choose between a single-motor rear-wheel-drive setup or a blistering 586-horsepower dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. Range anxiety won't be an issue here; equipped with either an 81 kWh or 100 kWh battery pack, the SUV boasts a maximum CLTC range of up to 852 kilometers on a single charge. Step inside, and the cabin feels more like a digital lounge than a traditional car. A swiveling 16.1-inch central touchscreen anchors the dashboard, complemented by a massive 26-inch augmented-reality head-up display and cozy, wraparound seating. It isn't just a tech showcase, though. The RX has already proven its performance credentials by shattering the lap record for a Chinese-brand production SUV at the legendary Zhejiang International Circuit.

29/09/2026

Improperly stowed flammable cargo—not an electric vehicle battery—is the likely cause of the tragic MV June Aster ferry fire. New details are emerging from the investigation into the September 9, 2026 disaster, which claimed 77 lives and left several missing off the coast of Coron, Palawan. Early on, survivors reported hearing a loud blast from the cargo deck. This fueled widespread speculation that an electric vehicle was to blame, prompting the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Energy to look into EV battery thermal runaway. The scare even drove some shipping lines to temporarily ban EVs on ferries.

However, findings from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) paint a different picture. Following an inspection by its central office enforcement team, the agency now points to poorly secured hazardous cargo as the culprit. MARINA is expected to release its official report within days. Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, and National Police are still running their own joint investigation.

28/09/2026

While overall new vehicle sales took a sharp hit in August 2026, Chinese carmakers managed to buck the trend, cementing their presence among the country’s Top 10 best-selling brands. Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. and Truck Manufacturers Association (CAMPI-TMA) paints a bleak picture for the rest of the industry. Total industry sales—including non-CAMPI members—stalled at 34,390 units. Looking strictly at CAMPI-TMA members, dealerships moved just 29,611 vehicles. That represents a steep 18.1 percent drop compared to August last year, and a painful 20.7 percent slide from July’s 37,319 units.

Even the market giants couldn't escape the August slowdown. Toyota maintained its iron grip on the top spot with 14,594 units sold, yet even the market leader suffered a 14.3 percent drop compared to the same month last year. The rest of the traditional Top 5 saw far harsher declines. Mitsubishi plumetted 47 percent with 3,570 units, Suzuki dropped 28.8 percent to 1,350 units, while Honda and Ford rounded out the top tier with 1,097 and 930 units respectively—representing steep double-digit dives across the board.

Chinese carmakers made a historic power move, capturing three spots in the CAMPI-TMA Top 10. MG spearheaded the charge in 6th place with 916 units, closely trailed by newcomer Omoda Jaecoo in 7th (902 units), and Geely holding steady in 8th (810 units). This surge pushed Japanese stalwarts Nissan (771 units) and Isuzu (765 units) down to the final two slots. But the biggest shockwave came from outside the association. BYD Cars Philippines dropped a massive August sales announcement, reporting 4,682 units sold. Had the new energy vehicle brand been a CAMPI-TMA member, that single-month tally would have comfortably catapulted them past Mitsubishi straight into second place nationwide. With 28,399-unit figure, BYD is still on third place year-to-date.

August 2026 CAMPI-TMA New Car Sales (% of Market)

1. Toyota – 14,594 units (49.29%)
2. Mitsubishi – 3,570 units (12.06%)
3. Suzuki – 1,350 units (4.56%)
4. Honda – 1,097 units (3.7%)
5. Ford – 930 units (3.14%)
6. MG – 916 units (3.09%)
7. Omoda Jaecoo – 902 units (3.05%)
8. Geely – 810 units (2.74%)
9. Nissan – 771 units (2.6%)
10. Isuzu – 765 units (2.58%)

28/09/2026

Amsterdam just became the latest testing ground for the future of global urban transit. On September 25, 2026, pure-electric mobility platform Green SM quieted the city's canals by launching its pilot taxi operations. This is more than a simple service launch; it is the opening act of an aggressive push into the heart of Western Europe. By deploying an entirely zero-emission fleet into one of the continent's most progressive cycling and transit hubs, the company is treating the Dutch capital as a live lab to iron out its localized driver logistics and lock down its service standards before expanding further.

The move lands the Netherlands as Green SM’s eighth global market. Founded just three years ago in 2023 by Vingroup Chairman Pham Nhat Vuong, the brand has moved at a staggering pace. It has already carved out a massive footprint across Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, and the Philippines, using Denmark as its initial European springboard. But Amsterdam is a different beast. The city boasts one of the most mature electric vehicle infrastructures in the world, making it the ultimate proving ground for Green SM's blend of professional driver networks and modern EV fleets.

Right now, the rollout is targeted, humming through Amsterdam’s bustling Centrum, West, and Zuid districts. Early riders in these zones are getting a taste of the service through introductory promotions, a classic land-and-expand tactic designed to build quick local loyalty. If all goes smoothly, the platform will scale into Noord, Oost, Nieuw-West, and Zuidoost. As cities worldwide scramble to meet tightening emission deadlines, Green SM’s Dutch debut proves that the pivot to fully electric metropolitan transit isn't just coming—it’s actively scaling.

27/09/2026

25/09/2026