In partnership with ACMobility, BYD Cars Philippines and Department of Tourism has begun a movement that gives a more sustainable, economical and hassle-free way to travel throughout the country.
Through the campaign: “Drive Electric. Love Pinas.”, they aspire to promote seamless electrified land travel, using BYD New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) and a rapidly-expanding charging network by ACMobility.
With skyrocketing fuel prices, this initiative has definitely come at the best time.
For 22 days, an electrified convoy led by adventurer Wil Dasovich traversed the Philippines from north to south, island-hopping across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
What started in the sand dunes of Ilocos Norte and ended in General Santos City wasn’t just a road trip; it was a record-breaking demonstration of reliability.
By the time the dust settled, the journey had officially earned two Guinness World Records titles:
- Most cities visited in a continuous journey by a battery electric vehicle (BEV).
- Most cities visited in a continuous journey by a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
Here, they travelled the stretch using the BYD Shark 6 Dual Mode Off-road (DMO), showcasing the power of the Blade Battery and DMO technology.
From the sand dunes of Ilocos Norte to the culinary escapades in Pampanga, the convoy rolled off with a cinch linking up with food content creator Kuya Kurt to explore Tutulari Avatar Gorge and dine at the heritage restaurant Bale Datung.
The BYD Shark 6 DMO’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology even powered the team’s gear off-grid during the trek, showing that EV tech goes well beyond simply getting from point A to point B.
Back in the metro, the fleet charged up at Makati’s Corinthian Car Park using the country’s fastest 480kW DC charger before a dinner at Michelin-starred Hapag Manila.
From there, they head off to Quezon and Bicol, highlighted by the Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Garden in Tiaong before finally crossing into the Visayas.
Off to the islands, they first crossed Cebu, exploring heritage sites, meeting with the local media at BYD Cebu Central, where they powered an entire DJ booth using the Shark 6 DMOtechnology. In Moalboal, Wil Dasovich went freediving alongside the famous sardine run, a quiet moment that captured the essence of the “Love Pinas” campaign.
As they approached Mindanao, the convoy landed in Pagadian City, linking the northernmost charging points to the heart of the south.
In Cagayan de Oro, the team went whitewater rafting on the Kagay River and sampled pineapple ice cream at Camp Phillips, followed by paragliding at Mt. Anahawon Ridge in Bukidnon.
In Davao, the campaign took on a deeper dimension, visiting the House of Hope Foundation for Kids with Cancer to distribute care package. The Kadayawan Tribal Village was another highlight, where Bogart the Explorer joined Wil to celebrate the heritage of Davao’s 11 tribes.
The journey concluded in General Santos City, the Tuna Capital, with a celebration at BYD GenSan.
Overall, the journey covered over 3,500 kilometers highlighting the ACMobility Philippine EV Spine Network.
With more than 160 ACMobility charging points strategically placed across the country, the infrastructure proved that nationwide EV travel is a practical reality.
This gives confidence that the world’s No. 1 NEV brand could provide the system to power electric vehicles as they traverse the whole country. This, along with BYD’s 79 dealerships nationwide and round-the-clock Roadside Assistance, meant that the convoy had a safety net stretching the full length of the country.
By covering 102 cities and municipalities, the “Drive Electric. Love Pinas.” campaign officially put range anxiety to rest.
Plan your next adventure at tourism.gov.ph, explore BYD’s full lineup at bydcarsph.com, discover the ACMobility charging network at acmobility.ph, and relive the full journey at goev.ph.
ADVT.
