Automakers from around the world are attending Indonesia’s largest motor show and showing off their EVs.
The event kicked off on Thursday in the biggest auto market in Southeast Asia. Japanese automakers, which have a high market share in Indonesia, and manufacturers from Asia and Europe are taking part.
Indonesia is striving to become a production hub for EVs and related industries. South Korean Hyundai Motor started producing battery cells there earlier this month. The company says it aims to start selling EVs with these battery cells next month.
China’s leading EV maker BYD says it wants to start producing vehicles in Indonesia from 2026. Vietnam’s VinFast has just begun construction of a EV plant in Indonesia, which is expected to begin operations next year.
Indonesia has some of the largest nickel reserves in the world. Nickel is a key material for producing batteries for EVs. The government banned exports of raw nickel in 2020 to boost development of its own industries.
Automakers say they will help Indonesia boost its EV industries, which may fuel competition among manufacturers in the country.