AC Motors outpaced industry growth in 2021, outlines plans for EVs and used vehicles

MANILA: AC Motors, an automotive distributing company owned by the Ayala Corporation, reported a successful 2021 — and its plans for the succeeding years. 

AC Motors — which saw a 30-percent sales growth last year — is the official distributor of Kia, Maxus, and Volkswagen cars, and operates Honda and Isuzu dealerships. 

During a virtual event for the media, AC Motors President for Automobile Group Antonio “Toti” Zara III explained how the company grew its sales and expanded its reach. 

For Kia, the launch of the all-new Sorento "coincided with the strategic relaunch and repositioning of the brand," Zara said. 

Meanwhile, Maxus introduced its D60 and Volkswagen its Multivan Kombi and T-Cross models. 

The City, City Hatchback, and Civic were added to the Honda lineup, and the D-Max and mu-X to Isuzu's. 

The brands' "increased customer online engagement both in sales and after-sales" can be attributed to a 40-percent rise in monthly sales, the AC Motors executive added. 

"(Another) key pillar of our 2021 success was the continued increase of our total dealer network across the five AC Motors automobile brands," Zara said.

From 85 outlets in 2020, AC Motors increased its dealer network to 95 in 2021.

"As we move into 2022, our strategy remains unchanged," the AC Motors executive stated, and expounded on the the company's planned ventures in the used- and electric-vehicle industries. 

Zara said that 2022 will see the launch of the all-new Kia Carnival, the "strengthening our presence in the truck market," and "further expansion of our network and digitization."

As for the used-car market, AC Motors plans to launch an "innovative solution for used car trade-ins." 

In terms of EVs, AC Motors "will actively explore bringing electric vehicles to the domestic market," Zara stated.

This goal is in line with the Ayala Group's commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 

Zara explained the challenges AC Motors is facing about bringing in EVs. 

He said: "The EV Law and its corresponding roadmap is about to be finalized. Government must consider lowering import duties aside from excise tax privileges. Let us protect strategic sectors such as the PUV but allow easier importation of private vehicles. We need to make EV ownership more accessible."

Photos from AC Motors, Kia Philippines, Volkswagen Philippines, Volkswagen, Honda Cars Philippines Inc., Isuzu Philippines Corp. 

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