Is Nissan Philippines bringing in the Leaf EV into the country? The signs are pointing strongly to that possibility after a statement made by the President of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) to announce the upcoming 6th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit.

During a press conference to announce the upcoming EV summit on July 10 and 11 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, EVAP President Rommel Juan said:

“Government and business interest in electric transport is growing rapidly as costs associated with EVs begin to drop and charging infrastructure start to expand. Even automotive giants such as Nissan and Mitsubishi are making a push in bringing their EV models to the Philippine market.” [emphasis ours].

With EVs now exempted from new vehicle excise tax thanks to the TRAIN law, it’s certainly an opportune time for Nissan to showcase the Leaf EV into the country. Although the Leaf hasn’t been announced officially for the Philippine market (it has been announced for 7 markets in the Asia & Oceania market including Thailand), the Japanese carmaker was quoted saying that they have been “accelerating their plans to bring it into the country.”

Nissan’s plans to bring in the Leaf EV was likely buoyed by the fact that around 50 percent of Filipinos are open to purchasing a purely electric vehicle. This figure is based on a study commissioned by Nissan and done by Frost & Sullivan, a global consulting company.

Even with one of the highest electricity rates in the Asia & Oceania region, opting for the Leaf EV can potentially save its owner more than P 90,000 annually.

There’s also discounting that Nissan’s decision to bring in the Leaf may echo moves by its sister company, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation or MMPC. It must be remembered that MMPC has already brought in several examples of the i-MiEV and Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), but its application has so far been limited to government and institutional use.

Still, with Nissan spending a lot to promote the Leaf (including one that sent several Philippine-based journalists to cover its global launch), the signs are there to actually see it being sold at showrooms alongside its other offerings such as the Terra, Urvan, and Navara.

Likely, more details about Nissan Philippines’s moves in the EV sector will be formally announced at the 6th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit. This show will be organized by the EVAP along with the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) and Partnership for Clean Air (PCA). It will also be supported by the Department of Transportation Department of Trade, Department of Energy, and you guessed it, Nissan Philippines and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation.