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FOTON Philippines previewed two new battery-electric commercial vehicles at the first Philippine International Truck Show, including a refrigerated delivery van and a light-duty cargo truck. The company displayed them at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City during the 22–24 October show, alongside existing electric vans, a heavy-duty tractor unit, and a support-services exhibit. FOTON did not release pricing or driving-range figures for the two models, and as of May 9, 2026, those specifications have not been announced. The event gave fleet operators an early look at how the brand plans to move beyond last-mile vans.
The inaugural truck show brought together commercial vehicle manufacturers and industry players operating in the Philippines. FOTON’s exhibit made a simple point: its electric strategy now reaches beyond one vehicle class. The TransVan i9 EV Cold Chain Van was positioned for goods that must stay inside a controlled temperature range. The Tornado 3.3 EV was offered as a light-duty electric truck for operators that need more load space than a typical van provides.
The TransVan i9 EV Cold Chain Van targets food distributors, supermarket chains, and pharmaceutical companies. Those operators move products such as frozen food, fresh produce, dairy, and medicines from warehouses to stores or health facilities without breaking the cold chain. Because these routes tend to run on fixed schedules, depot-based charging can be planned in advance. FOTON kept details on payload, battery capacity, and refrigeration equipment out of its announcement, but the intended job is clear.
The Tornado 3.3 EV serves a different buyer. Distributors and logistics providers that handle palletized or bulkier shipments often find a standard delivery van too small. FOTON is positioning the truck as the middle option between a van and a medium-duty vehicle. The company did not share range or payload numbers at the show, leaving fleet buyers to wait for full specifications before making cost comparisons.
The rest of the display put the two previews in context. The EST 6x4 Tractor Head EV is a battery-electric tractor unit designed for heavy-duty hauling, a much larger machine than the compact electric vans associated with city delivery. With a 6x4 configuration, it is built for heavier loads and longer distances. At the opposite end, the TransVan i7 EV Cargo is an urban delivery van intended for scheduled stops in cities, where daily mileage is reasonably predictable and the vehicle can return to a depot at night.
Taken together, the line-up shows what FOTON means by commercial electrification. It is not just a van fitted with batteries. It is a spread of models that starts with urban parcel hauling and extends to heavy freight. That message was reinforced by the company’s support-services display, which occupied as much floor space as the vehicles themselves.
FOTON called the display its EV Mobility Hub. The center explained what owners need after buying an electric truck or van: charging options, high-voltage maintenance, and spare parts support. The goal was to answer a question that tends to stall fleet electrification decisions. What happens when the vehicle needs to be charged or repaired?
That question matters because downtime is expensive in commercial transport. A diesel truck can pull into any fuel station and most shops can service it. An electric truck requires a planned charging location and technicians trained on its powertrain. If the charging network or parts pipeline is weak, the cheapest electric truck on paper can still create operational losses.
Financing is another obstacle FOTON is trying to remove. The company is offering zero percent interest deals on selected vehicles, with repayment terms of up to 48 months and down payments from 20 to 50 percent. Qualification requirements apply and final approval rests with participating financing partners. The program is aimed at small businesses and logistics operators, where the size of the initial payment often shapes the purchase decision.
Even with financing, fleet buyers need to compare range and charging time against their own routes before committing. They also need to know whether their facility has enough electrical capacity for overnight charging. And they should calculate total cost of ownership over several years, not just compare monthly payments. FOTON’s booth did not solve that math, but it acknowledged the steps.
There is a reason cold chain stood out in the line-up. Temperature-controlled fleets usually run on predictable loops between distribution centers, stores, and medical facilities. Those loops make it easier to plan when and where a vehicle will charge. Electric vans also produce no tailpipe exhaust, which can matter at loading docks where trucks sit with their reefer units running. Cold chain may therefore be one of the first segments where electric commercial vehicles prove their reliability.
The Philippine market adds its own push. The Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act gives the country a national policy framework for EV adoption, including incentives and charging infrastructure. That policy direction makes it easier for manufacturers to bring electric models into the market. It also pressures fleets to learn how to manage charging and permitting requirements early.
For U.S. readers, the Manila event is not just a regional story. Chinese commercial vehicle makers are moving electric lineup expansion into markets where price sensitivity is high and charging infrastructure is still being built. Similar dynamics are playing out in North America, where fleet operators are testing electric trucks for parcel delivery, food distribution, and regional freight. FOTON’s ability to combine hardware, service, and financing in one offer could point to a strategy that translates across borders.
What remains unresolved is timing. FOTON has not said when the TransVan i9 EV Cold Chain Van and the Tornado 3.3 EV will go on sale, nor has it given suggested prices, range estimates, or battery specifications. Without those numbers, the two models function as direction-setting previews rather than order-ready products. The first Philippine International Truck Show gave FOTON the stage to make that direction visible, and it gave fleet operators a reason to start watching.
