Grab and BYD officials pose for a picture as they sign a partnership to bring more electric vehicles to Southeast Asian roads. Handout.

MANILA -- Singapore-based 'super app' Grab and Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD are working together to bring more EVs to Southeast Asia, including the Philippines.

In a statement, Grab said BYD will be giving their partner-drivers electric cars at lower rates, with extended warranties on the electric vehicles' batteries.

The drivers can rent the EVs or buy them with financial support through Grab's car ownership schemes.

Grab drivers who install the Grab driver app on their BYD vehicles can view their jobs, navigation and chats at a glance on a larger screen, instead of having to toggle back and forth on their phones. 

With wiper signals and travel speed speeding into the Grab platform in real-time, Grab can also more quickly and accurately infer external conditions like weather and traffic. 

This means the algorithm can guide drivers towards where there is greater demand for rides, ensuring there are enough drivers to meet spikes in passenger bookings.

Sensor data can also give insights into drivers’ driving patterns and behaviors, which can help the ride-hailing app guide drivers on how to improve their driving.

Grab said it wants to help its partner-drivers speed up their transition to zero-emmission modes of transport, as expensive upfront costs hinder more EV purchases in Southeast Asia.

“This collaboration enables us to drive the transition to EVs forward by lowering the financial barriers that are often associated with EVs, and in the long run deliver economic benefits to our driver-partners which may include fuel cost savings," said Grab managing director for group business development Chuck Kim.

The Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) said the Philippines is looking to have 2.4 million electric vehicles on the road by 2028. 

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This is based on the Department of Energy's Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry.