A budget-friendly electric family vehicle just got a real-world stress test on one of the Philippines' tougher long-distance routes.
A content creator drove a BYD eMax 7 from Manila to Bicol and found that while the trip was possible without using any gas, Southern Luzon's charging network still has some clear weak spots.
What happened?
A video by TeamDy TV (@TeamDyTV) documented a Manila-to-Bicol trip in the BYD eMax 7 Standard, a seven-seater equipped with a 55.4-kWh Blade Battery and a claimed 261-mile (420-kilometer) NEDC range.
The goal was to see if this lower-cost electric MPV could cope with one of the country's harder long-distance drives.
The answer was largely yes.
At PTT Lucena, the first charging stop, the car had traveled 82.1 miles (132.1 kilometers) from home. That portion used 35% of the pack, equal to 19.39 kWh, which the creator said worked out to 4.23 miles per kWh (6.8 kilometers per kWh). A DC fast-charging session there added 21.93 kWh and cost Php767.55, or Php35 per kWh.
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From Lucena to Naga, the eMax 7 covered a longer 152.8 miles (245.9 kilometers) while improving efficiency to 4.44 miles per kWh (7.15 kilometers per kWh).
In Naga, the vehicle took on nearly 15 kWh through an AC charger at Landers for Php423.71, equivalent to Php28 per kWh.
The drive south also turned up infrastructure problems. In Legaspi, charging bays at SM were occupied, one charger at Ayala Malls Legaspi was out of service, and weak signal made activation harder there as well.
Before heading on to Sorsogon, the creator ended up topping up overnight with a portable charger at a relative's home.
Why does it matter?
On long trips, charger availability can matter as much as battery capacity, especially in larger vehicles carrying passengers and luggage.
Based on the creator's numbers, the eMax 7 was delivering around 4.23 to 4.44 miles per kWh (6.8 to 7.15 kilometers per kWh). Using the reported charging prices, that works out to roughly Php6.28 to Php8.29 per mile (Php3.90 to Php5.15 per kilometer). AC charging was cheaper than DC fast charging at the stops shown.
Choosing Php28-per-kWh AC charging instead of Php35-per-kWh DC charging saves Php7 per kWh, or about Php105 on a 15-kWh session.
One commenter wrote, "Nice sir very detailed po. In case na bumili ako ng EV i might consider this Emax 7."
What can I do?
The trip showed that a single charging stop may not be enough if stations are full, offline, or difficult to activate.
The portable charger made a meaningful difference on the trip. Plugged into a standard outlet and limited to 10 amps, it raised the eMax 7 from 40% to 73% overnight, according to the creator.
The video also suggested that AC charging can reduce costs compared with DC fast charging.
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