With BYD vehicles causing a stir in the country, should we not also get a plant?
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) leader BYD is set to finish the construction of its USD1 billion (roughly RM4,494,498,644) manufacturing plant in Indonesia by the end of 2025, according to an announcement from Eagle Zhao, the president director of BYD Indonesia. This ambitious move is part of BYD’s strategy to strengthen its position in the Southeast Asian EV market.
The plant, located in an industrial complex in Subang, West Java, is designed to have an annual production capacity of 150,000 EVs. With this investment, BYD is set to tap into the growing demand for EVs in Indonesia and beyond, focusing on both the domestic and export markets.
Moreover, Zhao emphasized that construction progress is on track, and the company remains committed to completing the plant by the targeted year-end 2025. Indonesia has become a key market for BYD, especially with its favorable policies designed to stimulate the EV industry. The government has provided a temporary duty-free allowance for BYD to export vehicles into the country, fostering an environment that encourages EV investment.
As part of its 2030 target, Indonesia plans to produce 600,000 EVs locally, making it a crucial player in Southeast Asia’s EV market. In 2024, BYD sold over 15,000 units in Indonesia, making significant strides in the region’s EV space. From January to November 2024, the company captured around 36 percent of the Indonesian EV market share, leading the way in battery-based EV sales.
Zhao also expressed confidence that the new plant will ramp up production swiftly, ensuring that the first vehicles will roll off the assembly line shortly after construction is completed. BYD has already introduced four models to the Indonesian market, including the Seal sedan, the Atto 3 SUV, the Dolphin hatchback, and the M6 seven-seater MPV.
On top of that, the M6 became the most popular model in 2024. Looking ahead, Zhao confirmed that BYD plans to expand its portfolio with additional models in 2025 to sustain rapid sales growth. Additionally, BYD will introduce its premium Denza brand in Indonesia in the coming weeks.
Having surpassed its global sales target of 4 million units in 2024, BYD has increasingly focused on Southeast Asia as a key growth market. This follows the opening of its USD490 million (about RM2,202,150,481) EV factory in Thailand, which also has a production capacity of 150,000 units annually. So will Malaysia be the next SEA region to get a BYD plant?
We got all this from Reuters and their full article is linked here. Thank you Reuters for the information and images.
