November 8, 2024 is a historic date for the Philippine automotive and electric vehicle sectors as the renowned global electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla officially arrived in the Philippines.
Sure there have been some dealers who were already selling Tesla vehicles but it must be noted that these dealers have not been authorized by Tesla to sell their vehicles and are merely importing them from other countries that have official Tesla presence.
Thus, having Tesla officially available in the country means that Tesla vehicles sold here will get official support from the automaker, as well as access to official facilities like the Tesla app and superchargers. More on that in a bit.
But what makes the prospect of owning a Tesla vehicle here more enticing now is the pricing. Before, Tesla vehicles that are being sold here through importers carry a price tag ranging from PHP 3 million to 4 million, roughly costing the same as they are in other countries. But Tesla made a shrewd move by pricing them much lower and more competitive. Indeed, you can buy a Tesla Model 3 (the lowest-priced Tesla introduced in the Philippines) for just over PHP 2.1 million, making Teslas somewhat more affordable for those looking to enjoy the power, technology, and clean energy that Tesla vehicles offer.
Helping Tesla in establishing its presence in the Philippines is the prominent township developer Megaworld, which explains the location of its first dealership (which Tesla calls its “Experience Center”) in Uptown Parade in Megaworld’s Uptown Bonifacio township in Fort Bonifacio. And while the Urban Roamer does not usually do auto dealerships, this being a milestone event and not to mention being deeply interested in electric vehicles, this is hard to pass up.
At the moment, Tesla is offering to its Philippine customers two of its models, the sedan Model 3 and the crossover SUV Model Y. Sadly, no Cybertruck was available at a launch save for a model of the unit which can be seen in the desk alongside other Tesla-branded goodies.
As expected, there were many people who came to the Tesla Experience Center on opening week, eager to step inside the available units and be amazed by the technology it offers. Or be frustrated because of the lack of controls in those vehicles. Either way, stepping inside one of these Tesla vehicles is an experience in itself.
Also to coincide with the opening of Tesla’s first PH Experience Center is the showcase of the Model 3 and Model Y at Uptown Mall which is right across the showroom/Uptown Parade. What is noteworthy about the showcase in Uptown Mall is that one can also see a Tesla supercharger on display, the first of its kind to be seen here in the Philippines. charging in one of these superchargers is not going to be free though Tesla says a full charge will still be a lot cheaper compared to a full tank of gasoline.
It is expected that these superchargers will be operational next year, starting off in some key locations, including Uptown Mall. The launch will coincide with the time the orders for the Tesla vehicles will start to arrive here so it will be a treat to see more of these Tesla plying our roads while, inevitably, causing more traffic as well.
