Strong growth in demand for car batteries seen this year

MANILA  -Motolite Philippines expects demand for car batteries to further grow this year as more people go out to take advantage of less restrictive travel.

“This year, the demand for car batteries has been strong. We’ve seen calls and inquiries, and we’ve seen people buying also,” Motolite marketing head Alexander Osias told reporters last week during the signing of the company’s partnership agreement with the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) on car battery recycling.

“I think it’s because, one, a lot of people obviously have gone back, gone out,” he added, noting that a big spike in demand was seen during the Holy Week.

The Motolite executive earlier said the health of the car battery industry was tied to automotive sales, which in the first quarter of this year has risen by 30 percent, based on a joint report from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association.

Osias said they were also looking to expand their product portfolio to include batteries for electric vehicles sometime in the future, citing both the threat and opportunity from the rising demand for more environment-friendly vehicles.

“Any technology shift is a potential threat. But I will say that we are also looking into lithium batteries,” he said.

“If it becomes a big enough shift, it’s something that we have to prepare for,” he added.

Osias said the company was also expanding the coverage of its hotlines and Motolite Res-Q, a 24/7 roadside assistance service, in Metro Manila and in key cities across the country.