EXCLUSIVE: 'Started with Dad's Tesla' -- SuperCharged Motors Inc. rides Philippines' EV wave

The Endriga family never really considered going into the electric vehicle (EV) business.

But when Victor’s septuagenarian Dad imported the first-ever Tesla Model X in 2017 and enjoyed it, his family started meeting with partners in China, where the EV boom has been the strongest worldwide.

And thus, SuperCharged Motors Inc. was born.

“We started in 2019 with the van,” he told AutoFun Philippines in an exclusive interview.

“Initially, the plan was UV Express,” Victor added. “I didn't see it na magfa-fly [that it would fly], so let's go into B2B, companies who want to have an EV fleet. Doon kami nagsimula [That’s where we started].”

The van is the Chery Wanda EV – a massive, six-meter-long vehicle that can seat 21 people and has enough headroom to stand up in.

SuperCharged Motors is the sole official distributor of the Wanda, even though Chery also has a Philippine operation, and has sold 15 units so far.

“Parang [Like] in the '90s, it was the Nissan Universal versus Nissan Philippines,” he said, referring to the two official Nissan distributors in the Philippines many decades ago.

And now, SuperCharged Motors wants to tap regular car owners with its Ice Cream mini EV.

50 units for 2023

Victor said he understands that EVs are still a niche market in the Philippines.

The Philippine government has only recently started to provide support for electrification. Republic Act 11697 or the “Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act” lapsed into law on Apr. 15, 2022.

The measure provides a framework for developing the country’s EV infrastructure, including charging stations, along with mandating EVs in commercial and government fleets.

It also offers various incentives to EV owners until April 2030, ranging from number-coding exemptions to discounts for LTO registration. The government is looking to allow the sale of only brand-new EVs by 2040. 

As such, Victor said his company is only targeting 50 sales of the Ice Cream this year at ₱888,000 each. Meanwhile, it is only looking at around 20 sales of the Wanda, which costs ₱3.4 million a unit.

These all-in prices, Victor said, are after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an executive order on Jan. 13, 2023 to reduce the duties on imported battery EVs to zero until 2028.

“I have to admit, it's still not for everyone,” he said. “Even in social media, marami pa ring kontra, maraming hesitation, maraming anxieties mga tao to switch to EV. And we understand.”

[Translation: Even in social media, many are still against EVs, there is a lot of hesitation and anxieties from people to switch to EV. And we understand.]

No warranty, but parts easy to get

Victor said it decided to sell the Ice Cream because of the growing interest in EVs.

“We asked our Chinese partner if we could bring it in,” he said. “Pwede naman, pero ‘di pa kami authorized [We can bring it, but we’re not the authorized dealer yet].” 

As such, the Ice Cream is considered a gray-market import, which SuperCharged Motors cannot provide with a warranty yet. AutoFun Philippines was able to try out the Ice Cream and will publish a review soon.

Meanwhile, the Wanda EV van comes with a three-year warranty for its electrified components like the battery.

“Madali lang naman yung parts [Parts are easy to get],” Victor said. “It's just a simple WeChat to our partners in China and if you need it quickly, then they can send it within the week.”

Victor also said some parts are already in stock in their offices in the Philippines.

Home charging stations available

SuperCharged Motors has partnered with Teison to provide 7-kW smart home chargers, similar to the ones used in malls.

These units are also compatible with solar panels, which can allow for zero-emission charging.

“It's a smart charger, so I can control everything from my phone to trigger the start, to control the amperage,” Victor said.

“Sa house ko [In my house], I have a few solar panels,” he added. “So kung malakas yung araw [if the sunlight is strong], I can adjust the load as needed.”

Victor said using the Teison charger, you can charge an Ice Cream to full in around seven hours or charge a Wanda overnight.

EV fleet, more models eyed

Victor said SuperCharged Motors is looking at operating its own fleet of Wanda EVs that can be used as corporate shuttles.

It is also offering the Wanda to local governments, especially as an ambulance.

Victor said the company is open to importing other EVs, especially if Chery Philippines decides to bring in its own EV models through its larger dealer network.

“We don't have the leverage,” he said. “We're also not exclusive to Chery. Just before this, we had some brands na tinitignan [that we were looking] to bring in. Actually, we were even looking to bring in the Volkswagen ID.6.”

The ID.6 crossover is a seven-seat battery EV produced by Volkswagen in China. However, Volkswagen Philippines warned customers in a January 2023 statement that it will not support gray-market ID units.

Nonetheless, Victor is optimistic of how EVs will progress in the Philippines.

“Akala kasi ng mga tao, ang hirap pa mag-charge ngayon,” he said. “Parang ngayon, especially within Metro Manila, ang dali mag-charge. Libre pa nga eh.”

[Translation: Most people think it’s hard to charge an EV now. But now, especially within Metro Manila, it’s so easy to charge. You can even charge for free.]

Do you think the EV wave in the Philippines will get bigger in the next few years?