With electric cars still sitting out of reach for most Filipino buyers, the Dongfeng Nammi might be the breath of fresh air aspiring EV owners have been waiting for. It’s one of the most affordable full EVs on the market, especially with the limited-time promo price of under a million pesos this July.
That money gets you 430 kilometers of range, which, according to at least one owner, is enough to get away with just once-a-week charging and spend only P3,000 a month on electricity instead of P12,000 on gas.
But good numbers on paper aren’t everything. How does it actually drive? Is it worth skipping over the more familiar gas or hybrid options for something this new? After owning one for a full week, here’s what I think.
Design and Cabin Space: More Than Just Cute
The Nammi leans into the small-and-charming formula, and it works. It’s compact at just 4,030 mm long, shorter than a Toyota Vios, but because of the wide body (1,810 mm) and frameless windows, it doesn’t look or feel like a toy car. The 17-inch wheels and hidden door handles give it a modern EV vibe. Meanwhile, visibility is surprisingly good. The wide windshield and large side windows make it easy to see out of, which adds a lot of confidence when driving through tight roads.
Inside, it’s mostly practical. The front cabin is spacious, with lots of cubbies, trays, and usable storage areas. There’s even a little extra tray in front of the passenger seat – a cute touch, though a bit shallow. The materials are decent enough for the price, except for the silver trim on the center console, which looks like it might fade or scratch easily. Seats are a bit on the small side and the rear is best for two adults, though the legroom is more than enough. There are no rear AC vents, which is a bit of a miss in a tropical country.
Tech and Features: Solid Essentials, Some Glaring Omissions
The Nammi doesn’t try to overwhelm with tech, which isn’t a bad thing. The controls are straightforward and logically placed. There’s a 12-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, plus a basic digital instrument panel. There’s wireless phone charging too – but weirdly, only one USB charging port in front. No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto either, which might be a dealbreaker if you’re reliant on Waze or Spotify.
Dongfeng did sneak in some premium-level driver assist tech though. You get adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, and even a fully automated parking system – a surprisingly welcome tech with its “custom” feature. That’s rare even in pricier cars, and it solves the usual problem of auto-park systems being too picky to use.
You also get a full 360-degree camera, transparent chassis view, and front and rear parking radars. For a sub-million peso car, that’s impressive.
Performance and Ride: Comfortable, Sometimes Too Much
Under the skin is a 42.3 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery paired to a permanent magnet motor with 94 horsepower and 160 Nm of torque. It’s not a rocket, but it’s more than enough for city driving. Acceleration in Normal mode is calm but never sluggish. There’s also an Eco and Sport mode, though the difference isn’t dramatic. The regenerative braking is well-tuned – not grabby, and blends nicely with the mechanical brakes.
Ride comfort is where things get a bit polarizing. Around town, it’s smooth and quiet. But at higher speeds or on patchy roads, it can feel bouncy, which could be tiring on longer drives. Handling is light – maybe too light. The steering wheel is extremely soft, which makes tight city driving a breeze but can feel a bit twitchy at highway speeds.
Still, the Nammi doesn’t pretend to be a performance car. It’s meant to be easy to drive, and in that sense, it nails the brief.
Charging, Efficiency, and Real-World Range
Charging time is competitive. On DC fast charging, you can go from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes. On AC, a full charge from 0 to 100% takes about 7 hours, which makes it perfect for overnight charging at home. The onboard 6.6 kW AC charger is standard.
The real-world range appears to live up to Dongfeng’s 430 km CLTC claim, at least for light to moderate city driving. With once-a-week charging and a P3,000/month electric bill, it’s clear the Nammi is far cheaper to run than even a small gas car.
It also supports V2L (Vehicle to Load) and V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) charging, meaning you can power small appliances or even top up another EV in a pinch. That kind of functionality isn’t common at this price point.
The Value Proposition
At its discounted price of P998,000 (valid until July 30), the Dongfeng Nammi undercuts pretty much every other EV in the country. Even with its standard P1.2M price, it’s still competitive. You get more-than-decent range, a usable cabin, solid tech, and some premium features you wouldn’t expect. And while it has some quirks, like the small cup holders, lack of CarPlay, and bouncy suspension, none are dealbreakers if your focus is daily driving.
It’s also backed by a strong warranty: 8 years or 170,000 km for the battery and 5 years or 150,000 km for the rest of the vehicle. That goes a long way toward building confidence in a relatively unknown badge.
Imperfect But Impressive
The Dongfeng Nammi might not be perfect, but for under a million pesos (for now), it gets a lot right. It’s cute, easy to drive, packed with just enough features, and cheap to run. For first-time EV buyers or those looking for a second car for city duty, especially with its exemption from number coding,it’s hard to beat the value it offers.
Just know what you’re getting: this isn’t a highway cruiser, and it’s not for people looking for plush interiors or sporty performance. But for the price – and the electricity savings – it makes a strong case. Get it before the promo ends if you’re interested, because the P998K tag makes this EV deal even sweeter.
