Dongfeng launches PROTECH program with 10-year battery warranty for EV owners

Dongfeng Motors Philippines has rolled out PROTECH, a new ownership program designed to reshape what buying one of their electric vehicles actually means over time. The initiative covers two models—the Nammi EV and the Vigo EV—and extends both the intervals between scheduled maintenance and the warranty protections that come with purchase.

The most immediate change affects how often owners need to bring their vehicles in for service. Under PROTECH, preventive maintenance is now scheduled every 18 months or 15,000 kilometers, whichever arrives first. This represents a meaningful stretch from whatever the previous interval was, and the company says the adjustment rests on real operational data gathered from vehicles already on the road. Rollie Navarro, the company's Sales Director, framed the decision as deliberate rather than cost-cutting: the extended interval maintains vehicle reliability and safety while simply reflecting what the cars actually require. Existing Nammi and Vigo owners receive this revised schedule automatically. New buyers get it as part of the package.

But the centerpiece of PROTECH is the warranty structure. New owners of either model receive a 10-year unlimited-mileage battery warranty—meaning if the battery fails at any point during that decade, Dongfeng covers it regardless of how many kilometers have accumulated. Layered on top of that is a five-year bumper-to-bumper warranty covering the rest of the vehicle. For an electric car buyer, the battery warranty carries particular weight; it is the component that determines whether the vehicle remains usable or becomes a stranded asset.

Dongfeng formally introduced the program to members of the Nammi EV Owners Club Philippines on August 21, 2026. The company positioned PROTECH not as a discount strategy but as a statement about confidence in what they have built. Giovanni Frias, VP for Sales and Operations, spoke of the program as part of a broader commitment to value—not just the sale itself, but the years that follow. Brennan Lim, Deputy CEO, went further, suggesting that the future of EV ownership is not transactional but relational: "The future of ownership isn't just about selling an electric vehicle. It's about standing behind every kilometer our customers drive."

The practical effect of the extended maintenance interval is a reduction in ownership costs. Fewer service visits mean less time in the shop, lower labor charges, and potentially fewer replacement parts needed during the warranty period. The company argues this does not come at the expense of reliability or performance—the longer interval simply reflects improved vehicle durability and the reduced maintenance demands of electric powertrains compared to traditional combustion engines.

For Dongfeng, the program signals a calculated bet on the Philippine EV market. As the company works to expand its footprint in a country where electric vehicle adoption is still building momentum, PROTECH is designed to lower the perceived risk of ownership. A decade-long battery warranty removes one of the major anxieties that keeps potential buyers on the sidelines: the fear that the most expensive component will fail and leave them with a repair bill that exceeds the car's value. By extending that guarantee across the full lifespan of the battery, Dongfeng is essentially saying it believes these vehicles will still be running—and running well—ten years from now.