A photography couple who spent roughly PHP 4,000 a week on fuel switched to the GAC AION UT in July. They sold a gas car and bought a second one two months later.
Menchie and Christopher Galang used to spend roughly PHP 4,000 a week on fuel. The Caloocan couple run a photography and videography business, and they raise their kids while running it. Rising fuel prices pushed them to look for something cheaper to run, so they compared options in the EV community.
They chose the GAC AION UT, a compact electric hatchback, for its space, value, and smart features. They bought the first one in July. Two months later, they sold an underused gas vehicle and bought a second.
Photo courtesy of GAC Philippines
The argument over who gets the car
The second purchase came down to a daily squabble.
“We realized we were constantly competing over who got to take the AION UT for the day because it was just so comfortable and economical to drive,” Menchie Galang recalls. “Buying the second one just two months later was the most logical step for our family and our business.”
Christopher Galang points first to the space. “The performance is really impressive, and the space inside is incredible; it easily accommodates all our bulky photo and video gear,” he says. “The advanced driving assistance and parking features bring so much convenience to our everyday trips.”
The couple also name three things that sold them. The car handles steep inclines during shoots in Angono and on family trips to Tagaytay and Batangas. Its Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) feature powers equipment on location. And the weekly fuel bill dropped from about PHP 4,000.
One car for work, one for home
Today the two cars split the load. One hauls production gear between shoot locations. The other covers school runs and city errands. A home solar setup sits behind both, which the Galangs say lets them run the business and the household nearly fuel-free.
What the hatchback has to handle
The Galangs’ use is specific, so here is what GAC says the car is built for. Figures below come from GAC Philippines.
- Space: A 440-liter boot, which GAC says fits groceries, luggage, or work equipment. The wheels sit at the corners to open up the cabin.
- City driving: A tight turning radius for crowded streets. GAC did not publish the figure.
- Floods: IP67/IP68-rated battery protection against monsoon flooding.
- Range and cost: A 400 km driving range, and running costs that GAC says run up to 75 percent lower than a gas vehicle.
- App: The GAC AION Mobile App handles remote cabin pre-cooling, charging tracking, and vehicle diagnostics.
On safety, GAC says the AION UT earned five stars from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) on October 12, 2026. It follows a five-star result from Euro NCAP in September 2026. The body uses “Dragon-Bone” high-strength steel and seven airbags. GAC says the ratings apply to the Philippine Elite variant.
What to know before you buy
- Price: The AION UT Elite starts at an introductory PHP 998,000, down from the regular PHP 1,068,000. The promo runs until December 31, 2026 (DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-269021 Series of 2026).
- Warranty: 8 years or 160,000 km basic, and 8 years or 200,000 km on the traction battery and electric drive system.
- Support: GAC lists 33 dealerships nationwide, a local parts warehouse, and two years of free roadside assistance.
- Test drive: Book at a GAC dealership or through gacgroup.com/en-ph/test-drive. Updates are on @gacmotorph on Facebook and Instagram.
The Galangs’ choice came down to a small thing: two people who wanted the same car on the same day. Now each has their own.
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