Expect to see more hybrid or fully electric Grab cars waiting at your pick-up points soon. Grab has launched its Eco-Drive Initiative, a coalition with financial institutions and automotive partners to give driver-partners fast and affordable access to EVs.
The initiative responds to rising fuel costs that directly reduce the earnings drivers take home, as well as the natural vehicle replacement cycle, as thousands of units approach the end of their recommended service life.
For full-time Grab driver-partners, shifting to an EV—whether fully electric or hybrid—can translate into significantly better daily fuel savings. The Eco-Drive Initiative is meant to ensure that those savings are not offset by limited and inaccessible financing options.
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The program is open to all active Grab driver-partners, with each bank partner applying its own standard credit assessment. Additionally, Grab is working with its partners to gradually broaden the eligibility criteria over time to reach more drivers.
In collaboration with Bank of the Philippines Islands and Banco de Oro, these bank partners will offer preferential ‘green’ auto loan programs structured to be more competitive than standard vehicle financing.
The partner banks will retain independent control of all credit underwriting decisions, while Grab—with the driver’s consent—can provide verified driver data, including earnings history, platform tenure, and service ratings as supplementary information that banks may consider.
The initiative’s automotive partners—Toyota, BYD, GAC, Dongfeng, Omoda, Jaecoo, Suzuki, Kia, MG, and QSJ Motors—have also committed to exclusive discounts for Grab driver-partners.
Driver-partners who opt in can access flexible daily installments through the Grab Driver Wallet, designed to match their daily earning rhythm instead of monthly lump-sum payments. But they can still opt for traditional monthly bank repayment if they prefer.
Grab says that its role in the coalition is to connect driver-partners to the right financing and vehicle options through personalized outreach based on each driver’s vehicle age and service history—a track record they have earned through years as trusted Grab driver-partners.
Eco-Drive is designed to complement the Philippine government’s national transport electrification goals, including the objectives set out under the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) and the Department of Energy’s comprehensive roadmap for the electric vehicle industry.
Grab also recognizes that the shift to electric vehicles must be inclusive and responsible. The company is working with its partners to explore fair trade-in and vehicle disposition options for outgoing ICE vehicles. As well as to ensure that the economic benefits of electrification are progressively extended to drivers at every level of the platform, not only to top-tier performers. Grab says that the Eco-Drive is a starting point, not the finish line.
“Sa totoo lang, ang pinakamabigat sa amin ay hindi ang pagmamaneho. Ang mabigat ay yung buwan-buwan na bayarin sa kotse, tapos dagdag pa yung presyo ng gasolina na hindi mo alam kung saan na pupunta,” said Grab driver-partner of nine years Zaldino Leal Jr. “Kung totoo na mababawasan ang gastos namin sa fuel at mas madali ang pag-apply ng loan, malaking bagay iyon.”
Leal went on to explain that many experienced drivers still struggle with financing:
“Marami kaming driver na ilang taon na sa Grab, mataas ang rating, walang reklamo, pero kapag nag-apply kami sa bangko para sa bagong sasakyan, parang baguhan kami. Kung gagamitin na ang track record namin sa Grab para makilala kami ng mga bangko, iyon ang tunay na pagpapahalaga sa serbisyo namin.”
“Pagpasok ko sa Grab, alam ko na gusto ko itong gawing maayos na career, hindi lang
pansamantala,” shares Grab driver-partner of eight years Rowie Guina. “Kaya nag-invest ako ng oras, nag-maintain ng mataas na rating, at tinrato ko ang bawat pasahero na parang VIP.”
Guina added that initiatives like this validate drivers’ long term goals and efforts:
“Ngayon, marinig ko na may programa na kinokonsidera ang record ko bilang driver para makakuha ng mas magandang terms sa EV o hybrid? Para sa akin, ibig sabihin noon, may patutunguhan talaga ang pagiging professional driver. Hindi lang kami nagmamaneho—nagtatayo kami ng future.”
“Toyota has served Filipino drivers for decades, and we understand that the transition to electrification must be practical, not just aspirational,” said Toyota Shaw and Pasig president and CEO Jonalyn Lim. “Our hybrid lineup is ideally suited for TNVS drivers who need proven fuel efficiency without the range anxiety of a full EV.
“What makes Eco-Drive compelling is its end-to-end approach: Grab is not just creating demand, it is solving the financing and repayment barriers that have kept fleet modernization out of reach,” Lim adds. “We are committed to this coalition because it puts the right vehicles in the hands of the drivers who will benefit most.”
“BYD is the world’s leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles, and we see the Philippines as one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic growth markets for electrification” said BYD Cars Philippines sales director Jolo Aranas. “Eco-Drive is significant because it creates a structured pathway for mass adoption, not one vehicle at a time, but across an entire professional fleet.
“Grab’s data-driven approach to identifying and supporting drivers through financing is exactly the kind of ecosystem partnership that accelerates EV transitions globally. We are proud to bring the BYD technology and cost-saving advantages to Filipino drivers through this partnership,” adds Aranas.
“GAC’s new energy vehicles are built to deliver premium comfort and efficiency at an accessible price point, making them ideal for professional drivers who spend eight or more hours on the road daily,” said Skye Chan from GAC Makati. “What excites us about Eco-Drive is the ambassador effect: when a Grab passenger experiences a GAC EV for the first time during a ride, that is the most powerful product demonstration we can ask for. Grab’s platform turns every partner-driver into a showcase for the EV transition.”
“At a time when rising fuel costs continue to put pressure on Filipino drivers, initiatives like Eco-Drive offer a clear and practical path forward,” said QSJ Motors Philippines director Jona Chiang. “QSJ Motors fully supports this program as it empowers TNVS drivers to transition to electric and hybrid vehicles—reducing dependence on volatile oil prices while improving long-term earnings potential.
“Aligned with the EVIDA Law, Eco-Drive is not just about financing vehicles—it is about securing a more stable, sustainable future for our drivers and the communities they serve, and we are proud to stand alongside Grab, our banking partners, and industry stakeholders in accelerating this shift toward cleaner, more resilient mobility.”
