Category: News

Latest news on electric vehicles in Indonesia.

  • MG opens MGS6 EV pre-orders in Indonesia at indicative Rp 550 million

    MG opens MGS6 EV pre-orders in Indonesia at indicative Rp 550 million

    Top image: MGS6 EV show car in Singapore. Photo: S5A-0043, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    MG Motors Indonesia has opened pre-orders for the MGS6 EV, a five-seat electric SUV, but has not yet confirmed the price. The company unveiled the car in Jakarta on 14 October and gave an indicative starting price of Rp 550 million. The official price list is due at Gaikindo Auto Week (GAW) 2026, detikOto reported.

    Buyers can reserve a car now with a Rp 5 million booking fee and lock in the indicative price. MG says cars delivered to customers will be assembled locally at its Cikarang plant in West Java. Production is about to begin and deliveries are planned from December 2026.

    “Production will start soon, while deliveries will begin in December 2026,” said Harry Kurniawan, head of marketing at MG Motors Indonesia (translated from Indonesian).

    What buyers get

    The MGS6 EV comes in rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) versions. The specifications MG published at the launch, as reported by CNN Indonesia and detikOto, are:

    • Output: up to 361 PS and 540 Nm. The AWD version reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in 5.1 seconds.
    • Battery and range: CATL cells, with up to 605 km of range on the NEDC cycle.
    • Charging: 30% to 80% in 32 minutes on a DC fast charger.
    • Safety: seven airbags, the MG Pilot driver-assistance suite with 16 ADAS functions, and a five-star NCAP rating.

    KatadataOTO gives separate figures for each version. It lists a 77 kWh NMC battery, 605 km of range for the RWD car and 550 km for the AWD car, and outputs of 241 hp and 350 Nm (RWD) and 356 hp and 540 Nm (AWD). That suggests the headline 361 PS figure applies to the AWD car only. The car measures 4,706 mm long on a 2,835 mm wheelbase. It has a front boot of 67–86 litres and a rear boot of 561 to 1,690 litres. MG has not confirmed the battery size or the per-version outputs for Indonesia, so buyers should check the final specification sheet at GAW.

    Where it fits on price

    At Rp 550 million, the MGS6 EV sits well above MG’s existing electric cars in Indonesia. In CNN Indonesia’s October price list, the MG S5 EV costs Rp 333.9 million to Rp 455.9 million, the MG4 EV costs Rp 405 million to Rp 419 million, and the ZS EV costs Rp 417.5 million. The MG Cyberster roadster, at Rp 1.704 billion, remains the brand’s flagship.

    Indonesian outlets have named the Deepal S07 and Xpeng G6 as the MGS6 EV’s closest rivals. The Deepal S07 is listed at Rp 619 million in the same CNN Indonesia list, while KatadataOTO quotes a Rp 599–619 million range. The Xpeng G6 costs Rp 679 million to Rp 769 million. On these figures, the MGS6 EV’s indicative price undercuts the Deepal by about Rp 50–70 million and the cheapest G6 by about Rp 129 million (IndoEVs calculation, based on published Jakarta prices).

    What it means for buyers

    The Rp 550 million figure is an indicative “from” price, not a confirmed one. MG has not said what the AWD version will cost, so buyers who book now are committing before the full price list is out. Local assembly matters too. Indonesia’s local-content (TKDN) rules for EVs tighten in 2027, and a car built in Cikarang is better placed for tax incentives than a fully imported rival. MG has not published a TKDN figure for the MGS6 EV. For background, see our coverage of the 60% local-content rule and our guide to EV taxes and incentives in 2026.

    The launch comes as the market’s top end gets busier: BYD’s premium brand Danza launched the D9 and Z9 GT the same week. You can find MG’s other models in our EV directory entry for MG.

    Sources: detikOto (16 Oct); detikOto (14 Oct); CNN Indonesia; KatadataOTO; CNN Indonesia October EV price list

  • BYD launches Danza D9 and Z9 GT in Indonesia with 1,500 kW flash charging

    BYD launches Danza D9 and Z9 GT in Indonesia with 1,500 kW flash charging

    Top image: Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The Z9 GT pictured at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich.

    BYD has put its premium Danza brand back in the spotlight in Indonesia, launching two new models in Jakarta on Wednesday 14 October and confirming that its megawatt-class “flash charging” system has arrived in the country. The New D9 luxury MPV and the Z9 GT grand tourer both run on BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery, which the company says can take a charge of up to 1,500 kW.

    The launch comes shortly after the brand switched from the Denza name in Indonesia following a trademark dispute, as we reported at the time.

    Prices and headline specifications

    According to CNN Indonesia and Kumparan, on-the-road Jakarta prices start at:

    • Danza New D9 (seven-seat MPV): from about Rp 1.08 billion
    • Danza Z9 GT (performance grand tourer): from about Rp 2.25 billion

    Neither outlet published a full variant price list or battery capacities, so only starting prices are confirmed so far.

    The updated D9 is quoted at up to 730 km of range on the NEDC test cycle. BYD has given it adaptive DiSus-C suspension, 10-point massage seats (up from four), a 16-speaker Devialet sound system, seats that rearrange automatically to free up luggage space, and a child presence detection system. Kumparan positions it as a rival to the Toyota Alphard, a long-time favourite in Indonesia’s executive MPV segment.

    The Z9 GT is the halo model. It uses three electric motors with a combined 850 kW (around 1,140 hp) and 1,210 Nm, and BYD claims 0–100 km/h in 2.7 seconds and about 701 km of NEDC range. Its rear wheels can steer by up to 15 degrees, enabling a sideways “crab walk” manoeuvre, and it rides on DiSus-A air suspension. NEDC figures are generally more generous than the WLTP figures used in Europe, so real-world range will be lower.

    How flash charging works

    The more significant announcement for the wider market may be the charger. BYD’s flash charger delivers up to 1,500 kW through a single overhead connector, the company said. Each unit has two connectors, and output drops to 1,000 kW each when both are in use, CNN Indonesia reported.

    BYD claims a 10–70% charge takes about five minutes and 10–97% about nine minutes in normal temperatures. Rather than drawing all that power straight from PLN’s grid, the station is fed by an integrated energy-storage system that buffers electricity, which BYD says reduces the load on the grid.

    Speaking at the launch, Eagle Zhao, President Director of PT BYD Motor Indonesia, said: “For the Indonesian market, all Danza EV products will be equipped with the second-generation Blade Battery and flash charging” (translated from Indonesian), according to detikOto.

    Where you can use it

    For now, the network is tiny. CNN Indonesia says the first flash charger is installed at the Danza dealer on Jalan Gatot Subroto in Jakarta, with plans to fit chargers at 10 Danza dealers and expand further next year. DetikOto describes the initial rollout as covering 10 Danza dealers, and adds that BYD is studying public locations, talking to charging operators, and in discussion with PLN.

    Only cars with the new battery can use the full speed. Cars with first-generation Blade batteries can plug in, but charge more slowly, CNN Indonesia reported. BYD says the technology will reach its mainstream brand gradually, starting with the BYD M6 and the upcoming Atto 2. Bisnis.com reports that BYD has confirmed the Atto 2 hatchback for Indonesia but has not given a launch date or local price; in China it sells from 96,800 yuan (about Rp 214.7 million, by Bisnis’s conversion).

    What it means for buyers

    • Danza buyers get BYD’s fastest charging technology, but only at a handful of dealer sites at first. Day-to-day charging will still mean home wallboxes or PLN’s public SPKLU network, which is covered in our guide to charging an EV in Indonesia.
    • Mainstream BYD buyers should watch the M6 and Atto 2. If those arrive with second-generation batteries and the charger network grows beyond dealers, five-minute top-ups could become relevant outside the luxury segment.
    • Existing BYD owners with first-generation batteries can use the chargers, but should not expect the headline times.

    Danza details, including the updated model line-up and prices, are in our EV directory entry for Danza. For the rest of BYD’s recent pricing moves, see our report on the Seal and Sealion 7 price rises.

    Sources: CNN Indonesia; Kumparan; detikOto; Bisnis.com.

  • Indonesia weighs halt to new semi-finished nickel smelters amid glut

    Indonesia weighs halt to new semi-finished nickel smelters amid glut

    Top image: Photo: Famhar1968, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Indonesia is considering a halt to the construction of new nickel smelters that make semi-finished products, as a global surplus drags down prices of the metal at the heart of many electric vehicle batteries. The idea was raised by Bahlil Lahadalia, Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, and it has not yet become policy.

    What the minister said

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Investor Daily Summit in Jakarta on 7 October, Bahlil said that roughly 50–60% of the smelters now operating turn out semi-finished nickel, and that the government was weighing a moratorium on new plants of this kind while it pushes industries that make finished downstream products instead, according to Koran Jakarta, citing Antara. He said the option would be reported to President Prabowo Subianto.

    “This is oversupply, which is why prices are falling.”
    — Bahlil Lahadalia, reported by Koran Jakarta and CNBC Indonesia (translated from Indonesian)

    Bahlil tied the move to a surplus of about 2.5 million tonnes, CNBC Indonesia reported. detikFinance noted that the unit behind that figure was not spelled out in his remarks, so it should be treated with some caution.

    Which products could be affected

    Reports differ on the scope. The Antara-based report in Koran Jakarta lists ferronickel, nickel pig iron (NPI), nickel matte and mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) as Indonesia’s main semi-finished products. The South China Morning Post mentions NPI and nickel matte specifically. That distinction matters for the EV supply chain: NPI goes mostly into stainless steel, while matte and MHP are intermediate feedstocks for battery materials. Until the government publishes a rule, it is not clear whether battery-grade intermediates would be caught.

    The Oregon Group, a resources news site, reported that nickel fell to a 2026 low of US$15,510 a tonne on 2 October. It said Indonesia’s smelters would need about 415 million tonnes of ore a year at full capacity, against expected 2026 ore output of roughly 290 million tonnes. Citing Indonesian Nickel Miners Association (APNI) data via the OECD, it counted 55 RKEF smelters, 10 HPAL plants and 8 nickel-matte plants in the country.

    Industry and investor reaction

    The Indonesian Nickel Industry Forum (FINI) responded this week. Its chairman, Arif Perdana Kusumah, told CNBC Indonesia that the supply-demand balance has shifted sharply since late 2025 and that tighter government supply policy has, in theory, already rebalanced the market. FINI’s figures put Indonesia at about 60% of world nickel supply, with 2.5 million tonnes produced in 2025: 2.05 million tonnes of NPI, ferronickel and matte, and 450,000 tonnes of MHP and nickel sulphate. The forum expects Indonesian processed nickel output to fall by 3.5–4% in 2026, while MHP capacity, driven by HPAL projects, is set to more than double to over 900,000 tonnes by the end of 2027.

    Any freeze would land mostly on Chinese investors. detikFinance, summarising the SCMP report, cited an estimate from the US-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies that Chinese money accounts for about 75% of Indonesia’s nickel refining industry. Nukila Evanty of the Asia Centre said Chinese investors were likely to be significantly affected.

    What it means for EV buyers

    Nothing changes at the showroom for now. The proposal targets new semi-finished smelters, not existing plants, and it is still at the discussion stage. Over the longer term, the government’s stated aim is to move nickel further along the chain towards products such as battery cells, which ties in with the first EV battery export from Weda Bay earlier this month and with the ministry’s plan to let locally made batteries count towards the 60% local-content rule. If battery-grade intermediates are spared and cell-making grows, local supply for Indonesian-assembled EVs could improve. If they are not, battery-material projects could slow. The environmental footprint of the smelter parks, covered in our report on their largely coal-fired power base, is a separate question the proposal does not address.

    Update, 23 October: Chinese producers at the Morowali industrial park are now discussing coordinated output cuts, possibly including battery-grade MHP. Read our follow-up.

    Follow-up (4 November 2026): At Minerba Convex on 2 November, Bahlil said the government is now reviewing permits for new smelters that make only semi-finished products. Read more.

    Sources: Koran Jakarta (Antara), 7 Oct 2026; CNBC Indonesia, 14 Oct 2026; detikFinance, 10 Oct 2026; South China Morning Post, 10 Oct 2026; The Oregon Group, 9 Oct 2026

  • Imported EVs could hit 60% local content with local batteries, ministry says

    Imported EVs could hit 60% local content with local batteries, ministry says

    Top image: Photo: RudolfSimon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Electric car brands that do not build vehicles in Indonesia could still meet the country’s 60% local-content requirement from 2027, provided they use batteries made in Indonesia, the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) said on Tuesday 13 October.

    The comments, reported by Suara.com from the ministry’s offices in Jakarta, add a new wrinkle to the tightening TKDN (domestic component level) rules that we covered when the ministry reaffirmed the 60% threshold at the start of the month.

    What the ministry said

    Setia Diarta, director general of metal, machinery, transport equipment and electronics industries (ILMATE) at Kemenperin, said the ministry’s own simulations showed the 60% level was reachable whether or not a brand operates an assembly plant in Indonesia. “So whether you have a factory or not, it is actually possible,” he said (translated from Indonesian).

    He pointed to an unnamed brand that still assembles its cars overseas but already fits Indonesian-made batteries, saying that approach could help it catch up with the local-content target. Suara’s report does not explain how a vehicle assembled abroad would be scored under the TKDN system, and the ministry did not name the brand.

    The timetable

    The requirements come from Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 79 of 2023, which revised Perpres No. 55 of 2019 on accelerating battery-electric vehicles. Under it, the minimum local content for battery-electric cars is:

    • 40% for 2022–2026
    • 60% for 2027–2029
    • 80% from 2030

    Patia J. Monangdo, who leads the ministry’s battery-electric vehicle industry working team, said the average TKDN of electric cars in Indonesia is currently around 45–47%, with the best-performing product at 80%. More than 100 electric vehicle products now hold TKDN certificates, he said. On those averages, many models would need to add well over ten percentage points of local content within roughly 15 months (our estimate, based on the ministry’s figures).

    Why batteries matter so much

    The battery is the single most expensive part of an electric car, so localising it moves the TKDN score more than almost any other component. At a separate industry discussion, the same ministry team said batteries were the “crucial topic” for the next stage, Katadata reported. According to Katadata’s account, local battery packaging adds around 10% to a vehicle’s score, locally made housings and wiring harnesses around 20%, and a domestically produced battery management system around 30%, with local cell production also seen as important.

    Not every carmaker is ready. Toyota’s Indonesian manufacturing arm TMMIN, which began building the bZ4X locally in late 2025, said at the end of September that it was still studying whether it could meet the 2027 target, Katadata reported.

    The push lines up with the government’s battery ambitions. Indonesia shipped its first export of EV batteries from the Weda Bay industrial park in North Maluku on 8 October, and officials want more of that output to end up in cars sold at home.

    What it means for buyers

    TKDN is not just an industrial target: it decides which cars qualify for tax breaks. The 40% threshold has been the gateway to government incentives such as VAT relief, according to the ministry, so models that miss the higher bar from 2027 risk losing that support and becoming more expensive. If imported models can qualify through local batteries, buyers could see a wider choice of incentive-eligible cars. Until the ministry publishes how such vehicles would be assessed, though, shoppers should check a model’s current TKDN status before counting on a discount. Our guide to EV tax incentives explains how the current schemes work.

    Update: BYD says its Subang-built models already exceed 40% local content and that it expects to meet the 60% rule in 2027. Read our follow-up.

    Update (3 November 2026): The National Economic Council has since said the 60% requirement will apply from 2027 together with locally assembled battery packs. Read our follow-up.

    Sources: Suara.com (13 Oct 2026); Katadata (30 Sep 2026); GridOto (23 Nov 2025); Antara (8 Oct 2026).

  • EV sales pass 2025 total by September as Jaecoo J5 and BYD Atto 1 lead

    EV sales pass 2025 total by September as Jaecoo J5 and BYD Atto 1 lead

    Top image: Photo: Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Indonesia has already sold more battery-electric cars in the first nine months of 2026 than in the whole of 2025, and the race for the top spot is tightening. Gaikindo wholesale figures reported by Kontan on Monday show 117,218 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) shipped from factories to dealers between January and September, equal to about 17.3% of all new cars sold.

    That total is already above the 103,931 BEVs sold across all of 2025. Kontan describes the difference as growth of roughly 12.8%; note that this compares nine months of 2026 with twelve months of 2025, so the true year-on-year rate for the same period will be considerably higher.

    The ten best-selling electric cars, January–September 2026

    According to the Gaikindo data cited by Kontan, the top ten battery-electric models by wholesales were:

    • Jaecoo J5 EV: 26,635 units
    • BYD Atto 1: 24,749
    • Geely EX2: 11,659
    • BYD M6: 7,043
    • BYD Sealion 7: 4,266
    • Wuling Darion EV: 4,020
    • Denza D9: 3,009
    • MG S5 EV: 2,914
    • Geely EX5: 2,760
    • VinFast VF 3: 2,447

    The D9 appears under the Denza name in the data, but the brand now trades in Indonesia as Danza after a trademark dispute, as we reported earlier this month.

    A two-horse race at the top

    The Jaecoo J5 EV and BYD Atto 1 dominate the segment. On our own arithmetic, the two models together account for about 44% of all BEV wholesales so far this year, and the J5 EV alone for almost 23%. BYD’s three models in the top ten add up to 36,058 units, roughly 31% of the total.

    The gap between the two leaders is narrowing. Monthly figures published by detikOto show the Atto 1 was Indonesia’s best-selling car of any kind in September, with 4,840 units, ahead of every Toyota and Daihatsu model. The J5 EV was fifth overall with 3,276 units, and the Geely EX2 13th with 1,890. That left the Atto 1 about 1,900 units behind the J5 EV over nine months (our calculation), with a quarter still to run.

    Nine of the ten models come from Chinese brands; the VinFast VF 3, from Vietnam, is the exception. No Japanese, Korean or European model makes the list.

    How big was September?

    Gaikindo’s month-by-month BEV figure for September was not included in the reports we reviewed. As a rough guide only: in our September sales report we noted that Stapo.id, citing Gaikindo, put January–August BEV wholesales at about 101,171 units. Subtracting that from the new nine-month total would imply around 16,000 BEVs in September, slightly below August’s 17,413. Because the two totals come from different outlets, treat that estimate with caution.

    September was a softer month for the market overall: total car wholesales fell 2.7% from August to 79,540 units, according to detikOto.

    A growing fleet

    The sales surge is feeding a fast-growing fleet. Ministry of Industry data reported by Jawa Pos and featured again by Antara on Monday put the number of battery-electric vehicles on Indonesian roads at 541,678 by August 2026, up from 406,916 in 2025. Of these, 259,077 were cars and 280,136 motorbikes.

    What it means for buyers

    The two best-sellers sit at different price points. BYD’s Atto 1 starts at around Rp 199 million in Jakarta, while the Jaecoo J5 EV costs from about Rp 279.9 million after a second price rise in September. Both brands have been adjusting prices as currency and shipping costs bite (BYD also raised Seal and Sealion 7 prices in October), so buyers should confirm the current on-the-road price with a dealer before committing.

    Strong volumes also matter after the sale: popular models tend to have better parts availability, more independent specialists and firmer resale values. With the government’s 60% local-content rule due from 2027, it is also worth asking dealers whether a model is assembled locally, since that affects which tax incentives apply. Our guide to EV taxes and incentives explains the current rules, and the IndoEVs EV directory lists every brand on sale.

    Sources: Kontan (Gaikindo data, 12 Oct 2026); detikOto; Jawa Pos; Antara.

  • Nickel parks’ 15.9 GW power base, mostly coal, raises EV battery questions

    Nickel parks’ 15.9 GW power base, mostly coal, raises EV battery questions

    Top image: Photo: Ministry of Public Works of Indonesia (Kementerian PUPR), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Indonesia’s two biggest nickel processing hubs now have around 15.9 gigawatts (GW) of power capacity, most of it from coal plants the parks build and run for themselves. Energy experts quoted by Kontan on Sunday 11 October warned that this reliance on so-called captive coal power could weaken the appeal of the country’s nickel and EV battery materials in export markets that increasingly check carbon footprints.

    The debate follows last week’s ceremony at the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in North Maluku, where President Prabowo Subianto marked Indonesia’s first EV battery exports and the start of 11 industrial projects.

    Where the 15.9 GW figure comes from

    At the IWIP groundbreaking on Thursday 8 October, Investment and Downstreaming Minister and Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani said installed and under-construction power capacity at IWIP exceeds 7.1 GW, while the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi has about 8.8 GW. He put the combined total at roughly 15.9 GW and compared it with Singapore’s total electricity use of 13.1 GW, according to Antara and Kontan.

    Antara’s report of the event put the 11 projects at US$10.2 billion. They include nickel-based battery materials, battery separators and electrolytes, aluminium smelting, electric mining trucks and solar glass. Antara did not describe the parks’ power mix. Kontan’s reporting says the capacity is dominated by captive coal-fired plants (PLTU captive), which operate outside the state utility PLN’s grid.

    Why smelters build their own coal plants

    Muhammad Kholid Syeirazi, a member of the National Energy Council (DEN), told Kontan that investors choose captive coal because it is seen as cheap, reliable and can be built anywhere, including areas PLN’s grid does not reach. Smelters need gigawatt-scale power that runs around the clock, and he said PLN’s systems in some industrial regions cannot yet supply that.

    “If industrial expansion continues to be powered by captive coal plants, the Net Zero Emission 2060 target could be missed.”
    — Muhammad Kholid Syeirazi, DEN, to Kontan (translated from Indonesian)

    He called for all new captive capacity to be written into the national energy and electricity plans (RUEN, RUKN and PLN’s RUPTL) so it can be tracked against transition goals. He also noted that global buyers increasingly look at the carbon footprint of nickel, steel, aluminium and EV battery materials, and that high-emission products could face trade barriers and higher compliance costs.

    Saleh Abdurrahman of the Indonesian Renewable Energy Society (METI) told Kontan that large industrial users usually build their own plants when PLN cannot guarantee the capacity and reliability they need. He said the government’s planned 100 GW solar programme would make net-zero commitments more credible if it is delivered, but that it still needs clear buyers for the power.

    Stranded-asset and revenue concerns

    Yusuf Rendy Manilet, a researcher at the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE), told Kontan that state revenue from the parks does not rise in step with export values, because of fiscal incentives, imported capital goods and profits sent abroad. He said the net benefit shrinks further once health, pollution and carbon costs are counted. He also pointed out that current rules still exempt captive coal plants linked to national strategic projects.

    He warned that high-carbon nickel could lose access to premium markets or face price penalties. He also said the coal plants being built now “have operating lives of decades, so they risk becoming stranded assets” (translated from Indonesian). His suggestions included requiring new smelters to use renewable or hybrid power, and opening “power wheeling” so parks can buy green electricity through PLN’s network.

    What it means for buyers

    For Indonesian EV buyers, nothing changes at the showroom today. Only a handful of EVs on sale locally use nickel-based batteries, as Suara noted earlier this year, so the parks’ power mix has little direct bearing on what most local buyers drive. The issue matters more for the bigger picture: whether Indonesia’s nickel-to-battery strategy, outlined in our battery industry guide, can produce materials that carmakers and overseas regulators regard as low-carbon. That will shape how much battery investment and value-added work stays in Indonesia, alongside the 60% local-content rule due from 2027.

    Update, 14 October 2026: the government is now weighing a moratorium on new smelters that make semi-finished nickel. Read more: Indonesia weighs halt to new semi-finished nickel smelters amid glut.

    Sources: Kontan – DEN on captive power (11 Oct 2026); Kontan – METI on industrial power demand (11 Oct 2026); Kontan – CORE on nickel exports (11 Oct 2026); Antara – 11 industrial projects worth US$10.2 billion (8 Oct 2026)

  • Car sales dip 2.7% in September as BYD and Jaecoo hold top-10 places

    Car sales dip 2.7% in September as BYD and Jaecoo hold top-10 places

    Top image: Photo: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Indonesia’s new-car market cooled slightly in September after a record August, but the two Chinese brands that have led the shift to electric cars both kept their places among the ten best-selling makes. Data from the car manufacturers’ association Gaikindo, reported by CNN Indonesia and detikOto, show wholesales (factory to dealer) of 79,540 units, down 2.7% from August.

    The month-on-month dip follows an unusually strong August, which Bloomberg Technoz described as a record at 81,757 units. Compared with a year earlier the market is still growing quickly: September wholesales were 28.1% higher than the 62,090 units shipped in September 2025.

    The headline numbers

    • Wholesales, September: 79,540 units (down 2.7% month on month, up 28.1% year on year).
    • Retail sales, September: 81,243 units (dealer to customer), down 2.6% from August’s 83,421 and up 27.4% year on year.
    • January–September wholesales: 679,020 units, up 21% on the same period of 2025.
    • January–September retail: 676,223 units, up 15.4%.

    BYD third, Jaecoo eighth

    According to the brand ranking published by CNN Indonesia, BYD was the third-largest brand in September with 6,031 wholesale units, behind Toyota (21,877) and Daihatsu (11,558). On retail sales BYD did even better, with 7,421 units delivered to customers. By our calculation, that is around 1,390 more cars sold to buyers than were shipped to dealers, suggesting BYD’s network was drawing on existing stock during the month.

    Jaecoo, the Chery group brand whose J5 EV has become one of the market’s most popular electric cars, was eighth on both measures with 3,400 units. On our arithmetic, BYD took roughly 7.6% of September wholesales and Jaecoo about 4.3%.

    Over the first nine months, Bisnis.com puts BYD fifth overall with 43,727 wholesale units and a 6.4% share, behind Toyota, Daihatsu, Suzuki and Mitsubishi Motors. Jaecoo is eighth year to date with 27,234 units (4.0%).

    Electric-car figures still to come

    None of the reports we reviewed broke out battery-electric (BEV) sales for September, so the month’s EV total is not yet clear. For context, Stapo.id, citing Gaikindo, reported 17,413 BEVs in August and about 101,171 in the first eight months of the year. Update (12 October): Gaikindo data for January–September now show 117,218 battery-electric cars sold, already more than in all of 2025. See the top ten EV models so far this year.

    Price changes may also shape the final quarter. BYD raised prices on the Seal and Sealion 7 from October, and Jaecoo lifted the J5 EV Premium’s price in September, citing currency pressures.

    Can the industry hit its target?

    Gaikindo’s full-year target is 850,000 units. As detikOto notes, reaching it would require about 171,000 more wholesales between October and December, or roughly 57,000 a month. That is well below the monthly run rate of around 80,000 seen in August and September, so the target looks within reach unless demand falls sharply.

    What it means for buyers

    A busy market generally means less room to haggle, and with recent EV price rises from BYD and Jaecoo, buyers considering an electric car may find year-end discounts thinner than in previous years. It is worth comparing current list prices in our Indonesia EV directory and checking which models still qualify for tax incentives. Motorbike buyers can read our report on September motorbike sales and the delayed e-motorbike incentive.

    Sources: CNN Indonesia (sales totals); CNN Indonesia (top 10 brands); detikOto; Bisnis.com; Bloomberg Technoz; Stapo.id. Data: Gaikindo.

  • Indonesia ships first EV batteries from Weda Bay nickel hub

    Indonesia ships first EV batteries from Weda Bay nickel hub

    Top image: Photo: Muhammad ECTOR Prasetyo from Pamiers, Toulouse, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday, 8 October, launched what the government called Indonesia’s first export of electric vehicle batteries. The shipment came from the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in Central Halmahera, North Maluku, a nickel processing hub. He launched it at a virtual ceremony, together with a package of industrial projects that officials valued at about Rp180 trillion (US$10.2 billion), Antara reported.

    “This is concrete proof that our downstreaming policy is on the right track,” Prabowo said, as quoted by Antara.

    Four projects go commercial, seven break ground

    Four projects at the park entered commercial operation. According to Bisnis.com, they are:

    • PT REPT Battero Indonesia, the battery exporter, which makes nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries;
    • PT Blue Sparking Energy, which exports mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), an intermediate nickel product used in battery supply chains;
    • PT Pioneer Aluminium Industries, which makes aluminium products;
    • PT XCMG Indonesia Manufacturing, which makes heavy equipment.

    Construction began on seven more projects, including nickel-cobalt, battery materials, aluminium and solar glass plants, and a vehicle plant listed as Guangqing Motor Indonesia. OtoDream reported that the four commercial projects represent about US$3.4 billion of investment and the seven new ones about US$6.8 billion. The government expects them to create more than 10,000 jobs. Investment minister Rosan Roeslani, who also heads the Danantara sovereign fund, said the projects cover battery materials, battery separators and electrolytes, aluminium, electric mining and industrial trucks, and photovoltaic glass.

    What was actually shipped is not yet clear

    None of the reports we reviewed gave the destination, volume or value of the first battery shipment. Accounts also differ on what was exported. Bisnis.com describes REPT Battero’s product as NMC and LFP batteries. detikFinance calls them battery raw materials, which could mean components rather than finished cells. The two outlets also describe Pioneer Aluminium’s product differently, as electrolytic aluminium (Bisnis.com) or aluminium electrolytic capacitors (detikFinance).

    REPT Battero is a Chinese battery maker. In January 2025 it announced plans for an 8 GWh cell factory in Indonesia aimed mainly at stationary energy storage. In May this year it said it expected Indonesian local-content (TKDN) and national standard (SNI) certification and had signed deals with makers of passenger and commercial EVs, ESS News reported. So it is possible that some of the first exports were energy-storage batteries rather than packs for cars or motorbikes.

    Why it matters

    The government’s downstreaming policy aims to process nickel at home into higher-value products rather than shipping raw ore, and battery exports are the step it has long promised. The Weda Bay launch follows phased operations at the CATL–IBC battery plant in Karawang. Our guide to Indonesia’s battery industry explains how the pieces fit together.

    What it means for buyers: do not expect any immediate effect on showroom prices. In the longer term, more cells and battery materials made in Indonesia would make it easier for carmakers to meet the 60% local-content requirement from 2027, which decides whether EVs qualify for tax incentives. Whether batteries made at Weda Bay end up in cars sold in Indonesia, or mainly go abroad, is a question to watch.

    Follow-up: Experts have since raised questions about the coal-heavy power supply behind the Weda Bay and Morowali parks. Read Nickel parks’ 15.9 GW power base, mostly coal, raises EV battery questions.

    Related: Imported EVs could hit 60% local content with local batteries, ministry says

    Update, 14 October 2026: the government is now weighing a moratorium on new smelters that make semi-finished nickel. Read more: Indonesia weighs halt to new semi-finished nickel smelters amid glut.

    Sources: Antara; Bisnis.com; detikFinance; OtoDream; Energy-Storage.news; ESS News.

  • Bali’s EV fleet passes 17,700 as PLN opens charging to private investors

    Bali’s EV fleet passes 17,700 as PLN opens charging to private investors

    Top image: Photo: Christophe95, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Bali now has 17,725 electric vehicles on its roads, made up of about 5,000 cars and more than 12,000 motorbikes, according to figures reported by Antara on 8 October.

    The island had about 14,000 EVs in March 2026 and about 15,000 in July, Antara said. By our own calculation, that is an increase of roughly 3,700 vehicles, or about 27%, in around seven months, with some 2,700 of them added since July.

    About 304 public chargers at 115 locations

    Bali has around 304 public charging units (SPKLU) spread across 115 locations, a total that includes both PLN-run and privately operated sites.

    Ajrun Karim, general manager of PLN’s Bali distribution unit (UID Bali), said the state electricity company is open to private investment in charging. Under the approach he described, PLN would leave high-demand locations to investors and build where investors are not interested. He argued that charging access is no longer a barrier: “Where to charge is no longer an issue, because it is already very easy,” he said (translated from Indonesian).

    Denpasar points to low-emission policy

    Denpasar Deputy Mayor I Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa linked the growth to the city’s own rules, citing Mayor Regulation No. 40/2023 on battery electric vehicles and Regulation No. 39/2025, which created a low-emission zone in Sanur. He presented the push as part of the island’s goal of becoming a higher-quality tourism destination.

    Part of a wider regional trend

    Bali is one of several provinces where PLN has recently reported fast EV growth. This week we covered PLN’s plans for battery-swap stations for electric work vehicles in Klungkung and Nusa Penida, and we have also reported on a 4.5-fold jump in charging use in West Sumatra and EV growth in South Sumatra.

    The Bali figures describe the total fleet on the road, so they cannot be compared directly with national monthly sales data. Still, with motorbikes making up more than two-thirds of the island’s EVs, Bali stands out at a time when national e-motorbike sales have slumped while buyers wait for a government incentive, as our report on September motorbike sales explains.

    What it means for buyers

    For Bali residents and long-stay visitors considering an EV, a public network of about 300 chargers, and PLN’s stated willingness to let private operators expand it, should make day-to-day charging less of a worry than in many other provinces. Most owners still do the bulk of their charging at home; our guide to charging an EV in Indonesia explains SPKLU, home charging and battery swapping. Drivers heading to Sanur should check the local rules for its low-emission zone.

    Sources: Antara News Bali (8 Oct 2026)

  • Motorbike sales jump 15% in September as e-motorbikes wait on incentive

    Motorbike sales jump 15% in September as e-motorbikes wait on incentive

    Top image: Photo: Focusfeel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Indonesians bought 654,343 new motorbikes in September 2026, according to Indonesian Motorcycle Industry Association (AISI) data reported by Kontan on 8 October. That was 15.37% more than in September 2025 (567,173 units) and 9.7% up on August’s 596,461 units.

    The rebound is welcome news for the conventional two-wheeler makers that dominate AISI. It also highlights how far behind the electric segment has fallen, as e-motorbike buyers continue to wait for a government purchase incentive that has been promised repeatedly but not yet paid.

    The wider market

    Domestic sales for January to September reached 5.02 million units, 3.71% ahead of the 4.84 million sold in the same period of 2025. AISI is targeting 6.4 million to 6.7 million units for the full year, and Kontan calculates that the industry has already reached about 78.4% of the lower end of that range.

    Exports also grew. AISI members shipped 55,098 fully built (CBU) motorbikes abroad in September, up 9.64% on August, plus 688,319 knocked-down (CKD) kits, almost unchanged month on month. CBU exports for the first nine months totalled 487,940 units.

    Electric motorbikes: still a sliver of the market

    AISI’s monthly figures, as reported, do not break out electric models. The most recent number comes from the Indonesian Electric Motorcycle Industry Association (Aismoli), whose chairman Budi Setiyadi told a parliamentary hearing on 21 September that members sold roughly 18,900 e-motorbikes in January to August 2026, CNN Indonesia reported. That compares with about 77,000 in 2024, when a Rp 7 million per-unit subsidy was available, and about 70,000 in 2025.

    By our own rough calculation, 18,900 units is well under 1% (about 0.4%) of the roughly 4.37 million motorbikes AISI recorded over the same eight months (5.02 million minus September’s 654,343). The two associations represent different companies, so the comparison is indicative only. At the January–August pace of about 2,400 a month, the electric segment would end 2026 at around 28,000 units; that is also our own extrapolation, not an industry forecast.

    Budi blamed buyers’ hesitation on policy uncertainty, describing it as a matter of “government policy, which is sometimes there and sometimes not” (translated from Indonesian).

    Incentive “this year”, says Airlangga

    The latest official signal came on 4 October, when Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the electric vehicle incentive would take effect in 2026, detikOto reported. He said the technical work sat with the Industry and Finance ministries, while the programme’s budget allocation (DIPA) is held by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. He gave no amount or start date.

    That keeps alive a promise first made for June. As we reported on 5 October, the file has passed to new Industry Minister Muhammad Sarmuji after the latest cabinet reshuffle. Periklindo chairman Moeldoko has told lawmakers that dealers and manufacturers are “stuck” and that many dealers risk closing, according to detikOto. A figure of around Rp 3 million per unit was reportedly mentioned earlier by former finance minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, but no scheme has yet been finalised. For background, see our earlier report on the e-motorbike sales slump.

    What it means for buyers

    There is currently no government discount on new e-motorbikes, and with less than three months of 2026 left, buyers holding out for one are betting on a scheme with no published amount or start date. Anyone who needs a bike now should compare total running costs rather than sticker price alone. Our electric motorbike buyer’s guide covers charging, battery swapping and the main models, and the IndoEVs directory lists the e-motorbike brands selling in Indonesia.

    Related: Car sales dip 2.7% in September as BYD and Jaecoo hold top-10 places.

    Sources: Kontan (8 Oct 2026); CNN Indonesia (22 Sep 2026); detikOto (4 Oct 2026)

  • BYD raises Seal and Sealion 7 prices in Indonesia by up to Rp 250 million

    BYD raises Seal and Sealion 7 prices in Indonesia by up to Rp 250 million

    Top image: Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    BYD’s two most expensive models in Indonesia, the Seal saloon and the Sealion 7 SUV, have become dramatically dearer this month. According to an October price round-up published by Ranah Auto, the Sealion 7 Premium has moved from Rp 629 million to Rp 879 million, a rise of Rp 250 million, while the Seal Premium has gone from Rp 639 million to Rp 869 million.

    The new figures match the October price lists compiled by CNN Indonesia and Moladin, which both list the Seal at Rp 869 million and the Sealion 7 at Rp 879 million in Jakarta on-the-road terms.

    How big are the increases?

    By our own calculation, the Sealion 7’s new price is around 40% higher than before, and the Seal’s is about 36% higher. Smaller rises have hit the locally produced M6 MPV, according to Ranah Auto:

    • Sealion 7 Premium: Rp 629 million → Rp 879 million (+Rp 250 million)
    • Seal Premium: Rp 639 million → Rp 869 million (+Rp 230 million)
    • M6 Superior (7-seat): Rp 423 million → Rp 435 million (+Rp 12 million)
    • M6 Superior Captain Seat: Rp 433 million → Rp 445 million (+Rp 12 million)
    • M6 Standard: unchanged at Rp 395 million

    The entry-level Atto 1 is unaffected for now, still listed at Rp 199 million to Rp 245 million depending on variant. The Dolphin (Rp 369–429 million) and Atto 3 (Rp 415 million) appear on the October lists too, though neither outlet says whether those prices changed.

    Outside BYD, Ranah Auto also reports a Rp 10 million rise for the Changan Deepal S07, now Rp 629 million. CNN Indonesia’s list, published a few days earlier, still shows the Deepal S07 at Rp 619 million, so buyers should check with dealers for the current figure.

    Why now?

    None of the reports we reviewed gives an official explanation, and BYD Indonesia has not publicly commented on the new prices in the sources we found. The timing is notable, however. The duty-free scheme for fully imported (CBU) electric cars expired at the end of 2025. In January, OtoDream reported that BYD had kept prices unchanged despite the incentive ending, with the Sealion 7 then listed at Rp 629–719 million and the Seal at Rp 639–750 million.

    The Seal and Sealion 7 are not among the models BYD has said it builds at its Subang plant, which currently focuses on the Atto 1 and M6 range. That pattern, with big jumps on the imported flagships and only modest rises on the M6, is consistent with import costs finally being passed on, but this is our interpretation rather than a confirmed reason. We covered a similar move by Jaecoo last month in Jaecoo raises J5 EV prices, and our guide to EV tax incentives in 2026 explains which support schemes still apply.

    What it means for buyers

    • Flagship shoppers face a new price bracket. At close to Rp 880 million, the Sealion 7 now sits alongside the Toyota bZ4X (Rp 889 million on CNN Indonesia’s list) rather than undercutting it by a wide margin.
    • Locally built models look better value. The Atto 1 and the base M6 have held their prices, and BYD’s plug-in hybrid M6 DM-i starts at Rp 298 million on Moladin’s list.
    • Check stock and order dates. Dealers may still hold cars ordered at older prices, so it is worth asking whether a quoted price is guaranteed until delivery.

    See all BYD models and local production details in our BYD directory entry, or browse every brand in the Indonesia EV directory.

    Sources: Ranah Auto (7 Oct 2026); CNN Indonesia (5 Oct 2026); Moladin (1 Oct 2026); OtoDream (11 Jan 2026).

  • iCAR V23 passes 1,000 deliveries in Indonesia as Chery brand builds network

    iCAR V23 passes 1,000 deliveries in Indonesia as Chery brand builds network

    Top image: Photo: JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

    iCAR, the lifestyle electric-car brand owned by China’s Chery, says 1,000 Indonesian customers have now taken delivery of its V23 electric SUV. The milestone was reached by the end of September 2026, detikOto reported.

    “Reaching 1,000 customers who have received the iCAR V23 is a very meaningful moment for iCAR’s journey in Indonesia,” said Bayu Apriadi, iCAR Indonesia’s regional sales manager, as quoted by detikOto (translated from Indonesian).

    A niche model with a growing network

    The V23 is a small, boxy SUV with retro off-road styling, aimed at buyers who want something more distinctive than the mainstream crossovers that dominate Indonesia’s EV market. It went on sale in Indonesia in February 2026 at the Indonesia International Motor Show, and is reported to be assembled locally in Bekasi, West Java.

    A thousand deliveries in roughly eight months is modest next to the market’s best-selling EVs, but it is a meaningful base for a new brand selling a single model. iCAR says it now has 16 service centres across Indonesia.

    Prices and specifications

    Published prices vary slightly by source. Car portal Oto.com lists three variants, on the road in Jakarta:

    • X RWD: Rp 389.9 million
    • Y RWD: Rp 439.9 million
    • Z iWD (dual motor): Rp 519.9 million

    iCAR’s official website currently shows the V23 from Rp 399.9 million and a Pro Plus Collector Series at Rp 789 million. Buyers should confirm the current price with a dealer, as several Chinese brands have raised EV prices this year.

    The official site lists a 59.93 kWh battery and a 100 kW (136 PS) motor for the rear-wheel-drive versions, with a claimed range of 360 to 401 km depending on the test cycle (NEDC or CLTC). Oto.com lists an 81 kWh battery and 208 hp for the top Z iWD.

    After-sales package

    Much of iCAR’s pitch is about ownership costs. According to detikOto, V23 buyers get:

    • free service labour for four years or 60,000 km;
    • a two-year pick-up and drop-off service membership;
    • three years of 24-hour roadside assistance;
    • an eight-year or 160,000 km battery warranty, and a six-year or 160,000 km vehicle warranty.

    What it means for buyers

    The V23 sits in the crowded Rp 390–520 million bracket, where it competes with more conventional electric SUVs. Its appeal is mainly its looks and the long warranty and service package. Before buying, check that one of the 16 service centres is within easy reach, since a young brand’s network is still thin outside the big cities, and compare the cost against the wider EV market. You can find iCAR and its sister brands Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo in our EV directory.

    Sources: detikOto; iCAR Indonesia; Oto.com; Wikipedia