Foton Motor Philippines is in pole position in this race, fully intending to be at the forefront of electrified commercial vehicles with its game-changing Foton Tornado Electric Vehicle truck.

“The Foton Tornado EV truck is the country’s first-ever fully electric commercial vehicle. We were the first Chinese automotive brand to break into the Top 10 in the Philippine market—and now we’re the first Chinese brand to introduce a fully electric truck into the local market,” declared Foton Philippines General Manager Levy Santos.

Aside from DB Schenker, the Tornado EV truck is now in service at other firms, including construction firm, Holcim Philippines.

The Foton Tornado EV truck utilizes a permanent magnet synchronous motor with peak outputs of 154 horsepower and 300 Nm. Driving range on a full charge is 208 kilometers (using the global WLTP standards) while charging may be done via AC (12 hours) or DC (2 to 4 hours).

The braking system is traditional hydraulic for ease of maintenance and repairs. The truck’s gradeability—the steepest hill a truck can climb using maximum torque at the lowest gear—is an impressive 20 percent.

“Foton is in sync with global companies in their goal of achieving a zero-cost strategy on fuel, while realizing more efficient logistics, reduced operating costs, and enhanced corporate social responsibility through increased environmental awareness, while enjoying accessible charging opportunities and excellent aftersales services,” Santos added.

The new Foton Tornado Electric Vehicle cab and chassis is priced at P 3.6 million. EV chargers are available and sold separately at Foton Motor Philippines.