From island ferries to highway stretches, real-world journeys through Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao prove that cross-country EV road trips are no longer a future dream—they are already here.
Real-world conditions offer the ultimate test for any vehicle’s capabilities. As the charging network across the Philippines steadily expands, two Filipino electric vehicle (EV) owners recently set out to prove that long-distance, zero-emission travel is fully practical today.
By navigating major highway stretches and inter-island ferry connections, GAC AION V owners Romel Emperado and Rommel Laranjo demonstrated how naturally electric mobility fits into local road trips.
Conquering Range Anxiety Across Islands
For Romel Emperado, embarking on a 1,492-kilometer trip spanning Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao was all about evaluating real-world performance under normal travel conditions. Passing through Samar and Leyte, where public charging infrastructure remains sparse, required a bit of advance planning. However, it demanded no major compromises.
I wanted to share this with the EV community to banish fear and range anxiety,” Emperado shared.
People think a long-distance road trip like this is stressful, but it really wasn’t. I didn’t drive at night, so I wouldn’t have tiresome and sleepless nights.”
We just hung out at malls or slept at Airbnbs while the car charged.”
With a professional background in solar tech, Emperado closely tracked his energy consumption along the route. By using single-pedal driving, regenerative braking, power-saving mode, and a steady cruising speed of 80 to 100 km/h, he logged an average efficiency of 13.9 kWh per 100 km. This beat conservative estimates by more than 20 percent.
The financial upside was equally clear.
Going from spending ₱9,000–₱10,000 ($160–$180) a month on diesel, to essentially free charging with my EVs made taking on this cross-country adventure a no-brainer,” he added.
Streamlining the Daily Commute and Family Travel
For fellow owner Rommel Laranjo, swapping a traditional diesel SUV for the AION V simplified both his 34-kilometer daily commute and his family’s island-hopping adventures. Driving from Cebu to Mindanao using two Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) ferries highlighted how effortlessly electric SUVs handle long travel days.
As long as it fits your budget, an EV is just so practical,” Laranjo shared.
We used to spend up to ₱3,000 a week on fuel for our traditional cars, so switching to daily home charging, and supplementing it with our solar setup, made a huge difference.”
Driving all the way from Cebu to Mindanao proved that long trips are completely doable.”
Laranjo also pointed out the vehicle’s efficiency while waiting in long lines for ferry boarding. Because there is no internal combustion engine running, passengers can relax in an air-conditioned cabin without heavy power drain or exhaust fumes.
The car is smooth and responsive with great pickup, and we still made it home with 36% battery to spare, even with the air conditioning running the entire day,” Laranjo noted, finishing his trip with 183 kilometers of remaining range.
Real Feedback for Real Roads
Feedback from driver experiences offers valuable data for future development. Masato Katsumata, Chief Technology Officer of GAC International, acknowledged the significance of these user journeys.
We are grateful to GAC owners for sharing their cross-country experiences,” Katsumata said.
The AION V was designed around people’s real-world mobility needs, from everyday drives to longer journeys. Their trips across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao provide valuable insights beyond controlled test conditions, helping us continuously refine our vehicles for the way Filipino drivers actually travel.”
By pairing home solar setups with destination charging, Emperado and Laranjo are showing fellow drivers how accessible, versatile, and cost-effective electric mobility can be. Their journeys embody the spirit of the #LifeWithGAC campaign, highlighting real owners and real roads across the country.
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