Dongfeng Motor Corporation, a leading provider of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) from China, is bringing in a full lineup of fully electric light commercial vehicles perfect for logistics and last-mile deliveries. Diamond Auto Group EV Corporation is the official importer and distributor of Dongfeng commercial EVs in the Philippines.
Since the start of its overseas business in 2002, Dongfeng’s products have been exported to more than 100 countries, with sales offices in Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. The manufacturer has concentrated on developing its new energy business, and the whole series of models has passed EU certification, with products exported to Austria, Germany, Colombia, Peru, and the Philippines.
Diamond Auto Group EV Corporation is backed by a strong foundation and the more than 50-year track record of its mother company, Diamond Motor Corporation, in the automotive industry. The company is run by industry veterans, led by its president, Mr. Monek Calimbahin. Taking full advantage of the incentives of the Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, the newly created company will offer sales, spare parts, and maintenance and repair services by mechanics trained by Dongfeng Motors Corp. to work specifically on electric vehicles. The company will open its flagship 3-S dealership along Marcos Highway in Cainta, Rizal, in September this year, followed by another facility along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. Other strategic locations in the NCR, as well as in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, are also in the pipeline.
The complete lineup from Dongfeng EV is composed of a pickup truck, vans, small trucks, and light-duty trucks, all conveniently weighing below the minimum gross weight for vehicles covered by the truck ban.
Based on the Nissan Navara, the RICH 6 EV pickup (P 2.76 million) produces an output of 120kW/161hp and 420Nm of torque, with a range of 350 km. It comes with LED headlights, an LCD instrument cluster display, and a rotary drive selector dial. The RICH 6 is the first locally available EV pickup, and power company Meralco currently has 45 units in its fleet that they have been using for over two years.
The EC36 8-seater passenger van (P 1.78 million) produces 60kW/80hp and has a range of 300 km. This van is ideal for airport-to-hotel shuttle services and similar operations. Perfect for last-mile deliveries, the EV30 panel van (P 1.9 million) has an output of 70kw/94hp and 230N-m of torque. It has a cargo box capacity of 5.6 CBM, a car-like cabin interior, and wide barn doors for easy loading. Meanwhile, the EC35 panel van (P 1.75 million) produces 60kW/80hp and 200 N-m of torque, has a strengthened chassis to carry a heavier load, a 5.1 CBM cargo box space, and a 300 kilometer range.
For businesses looking for light-duty trucks, the EC31 (P 1.68 million) produces 60 kW/80hp and 200Nm of torque, has a strengthened chassis, and has a range of 300 km. The medium-sized cab and chassis is the EV35 (P 2.475 million), which can carry a payload of up to 1,650kg and has a range of 280 km. It produces 100kW/134hp and 230 Nm of torque. The larger of the trucks is the EV45 (P 3.35 million), which can carry a payload of 2,200kg. It produces 120kW/161hp and 320Nm of torque and has a range of 350 km. It has keyless entry, power windows, and an LCD instrument cluster display. These cabs and chassis can be configured with an aluminum box or other body applications by local partner builders.
Similar to other fully electric vehicles, the batteries of Dongfeng’s commercial EVs can be recharged using a portable AC or DC charging system. When plugged into a 220V outlet, the AC system has an output of 3.3kW, while the DC system can produce 6.6kW. Likewise, the vehicles can also be recharged with mall-based wall chargers using appropriate adaptors.
The Diamond Auto Group EV Corporation will hold its official brand launch at the 10th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit slated for October 20–21, 2023, at the SMX Convention Center.