17/04/2026
Do the math
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Thinking of buying an EV to beat the gas prices? Watch this first.
In this episode of The Long Take I covered the full EV picture: range anxiety, flooding myths, charging infrastructure, grid readiness, and why hybrid, PHEV, and REEV options actually make sense for Filipino drivers.
But one thing I couldn’t fit into the interview was the actual math. And I think you need it. Because I get this question at least five times a day in my inbox:
“Tito James, is it worth making the switch to EV or hybrid? Ang mahal ng gas! Help!”
Short answer: yes, it makes sense, but only with a big caveat. I mean, we literally just got a hybrid last week, so that alone should tell you where we stand on the technology. But we made that call because the car was already due for replacement on a company program. Not because of the gas panic. And that is the distinction that matters.
Here’s the math to consider. In the most popular segment, the subcompact class where most Filipinos actually shop, the premium between a gas model and its electrified twin runs from around ₱130,000 on the Honda end to ₱400,000 on the Toyota Vios-to-Ativ comparison. The DoE puts your savings at around ₱3.25 per kilometer. At 12,000 km a year, that’s ₱39,000 in annual fuel savings.
Divide ₱400,000 by ₱39,000.
For an average user, that’s 10 years just to break even. Now, some will say: “Tito James, I can get a BYD Seal for under a million. Your math isn’t mathing.” Fair point, but that’s not a direct comparison. These figures come from comparing the same car against itself. Same nameplate, same segment, gas versus hybrid. If you’re cross-shopping a Seal against a Camry-class sedan and the numbers genuinely work, great. Run them. Go for it. That’s exactly what I’m asking you to do.
The point was always to do your own math and not let a gas spike do it for you.
Because electricity isn’t cheap either. Meralco is at ₱14.35/kWh this month, and it keeps climbing. We’re also not counting the hit you took on resale value if you sold your ICE car in the middle of a gas crisis.
At peak panic prices of ₱90 to ₱100 per liter, break-even drops to 7 to 8 years. But that spike is already rolling back. The number that scared you into that premium decision is already retreating.
Hybrids and PHEVs earn that premium back faster and need no charging infrastructure overhaul. But buying in a panic to chase a temporary spike? That’s a 10-year financial decision made on a 2-week news cycle.
So think it through. Then decide.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Check the comments for the full vid
