The Sole International Representative of the Electric Vehicle Industry
In Indonesia, policy forums play a pivotal role in shaping emerging economic sectors, particularly the rapidly accelerating electric vehicle (EV) industry. Against this backdrop, the recently held Detik Leaders Forum 2025 continued to captivate audiences by bringing together influential voices driving the energy transition and green transportation agenda.
The future of electric vehicles took center stage, uniting government agencies, power corporations, academia, and industry players in a “quad-pillar” speaker lineup. Among them, VinFast, a Vietnamese EV manufacturer investing in Indonesia, stood as the sole international representative of the global EV industry.
At the forum, VinFast Indonesia’s CEO, Kariyanto Hardjosoemarto, provided detailed updates on the company’s 120-hectare assembly plant in Subang, a facility poised to enhance local production capabilities. “Our plant is 95% complete and will commence trial operations in December,” he stated, expressing long-term aspirations to upgrade technology and establish a fully integrated production hub.
VinFast’s leadership participation, alongside representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy, PLN’s executives, and Dr. Yannes Martinus Pasaribu from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), was highly acclaimed by international media. “International companies like VinFast, currently investing in Indonesia, are crucial in accelerating EV adoption,” Detik remarked.
Beyond manufacturing insights, VinFast contributed market data to the discussion. “Indonesia’s EV market is growing robustly. EVs debuted in Indonesia in 2020 with just 125 units sold annually, reaching a 4.9% market share last year,” Kariyanto noted, highlighting the sector’s vast potential. “We anticipate a 14-15% growth by year-end, with even higher projections for next year,” he added.
Kariyanto emphasized that EVs are becoming a highlight in Indonesia’s market. In the first ten months of 2025, EV demand surged by over 100%, even as overall market sales declined by 11% year-on-year.
Government Highlights Private Sector’s Role
Representing the government, Harris, Director of the Electricity Survey and Testing Center at the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (EBTKE), Ministry of Energy, noted that despite renewable energy accounting for only 15% of the mix, Indonesia’s EV sector is aligned with energy transition goals.
VinFast is implementing a comprehensive green ecosystem strategy in Indonesia, offering a diverse product portfolio, an expanding showroom and service network, and robust support policies to facilitate consumer transition to green transportation.
Additionally, Indonesia’s government has introduced a new policy framework guiding national energy development until 2060. According to Harris, these policies will support transportation electrification and accelerate EV market growth, particularly for four-wheel and two-wheel vehicles.
“This energy transition encompasses not only power generation but also shifts in consumer and business behavior,” he explained.
Addressing infrastructure and corporate collaboration, Joni, PLN’s Executive Vice President for Retail Business and Customer Service, revealed that Indonesia has nearly 4,400 public charging stations, with over 60% owned by PLN.
Joni noted that while PLN continues to deploy charging stations, it cannot single-handedly meet the surging demand for charging infrastructure. He called for stronger private sector involvement in this expansion.
“That’s why we’ve established cooperative frameworks with incentives for private enterprises interested in public charging,” Joni said, emphasizing PLN’s dedicated team to streamline registration processes.
The Detik Leaders Forum 2025 is part of Detik’s strategic forum series, a media platform with over 110 million monthly readers, serving as a key venue for ministers, corporate CEOs, and policymakers to discuss Indonesia’s economic and infrastructure development.
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