Japanese carmakers to compete with Chinese firms in Indonesia's electric car market

Competition in Indonesia's electric car market has led the new president of Honda Prospect Motor (HPM) to promise to increase the availability of more Honda electric cars, one of which is to compete with Chinese manufacturers such as Wuling and BYD, which are aggressively launching electric cars. The difference is that the Japanese manufacturer prefers to launch hybrids first. He believes that hybrids are an important bridge to becoming purely electric, and that the development of electric vehicles in each country is uncertain and sometimes changes, so it is necessary to change the brand's perspective in determining electrification, so that there is not only one path, but that there must be the flexibility to develop a variety of different scenarios. Hybrids play an important role for the brand in ensuring a strategy of flexibility and meeting the needs of future consumers in the electrification segment. Honda has already launched a number of hybrid models, including the all-new Accord RS e:HEV priced at nearly Rp 1 billion and the Honda CR-V Hybrid priced at Rp 739.9 million, which will be launched by the end of 2023.Several other Japanese manufacturers are more than willing to launch hybrids in order to take on the Chinese and South Korean manufacturers in the automotive market, and hybridization is an important step for the brand, including Honda, to enter the first step in the overall electrification market.

Honda has set a global goal of pure electric vehicles by 2040, with market implementation in each country varying according to each country's needs and conditions, but Honda is focusing on hybrids as an important step towards future electrification. From a consumer perspective, competing with many new brands is a positive choice to provide options for a wider range of consumers. His experience in various countries around the world helps to meet the competition in the Indonesian market.He took up a position in Spain in 2007 and returned to Japan in 2010, followed by a position in Malaysia in 2015, India in 2018 and the United States as Vice President of Vehicle Sales Planning and Strategy in 2021, before becoming President of PT Honda Prospect Motor in 2024. Indonesia is a strategic market for Honda and he is proud of the trust given to Honda Prospect Motor to be the company that the people of Indonesia expect and therefore his vision is to continue to provide quality, reliable and suitable products to meet the needs of Indonesian consumers.