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.
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