Assessing the Effectiveness of Hybrid Car Incentives in Boosting Sales

Thus, it can be an attractive alternative for people who want to use an environmentally friendly vehicle but are not yet ready to switch to an electric car.

The hope is that more manufacturers can register their products to receive incentives. Thus, the price of hybrid cars will become more competitive with conventional vehicles.

“Because with the incentive, the price difference between hybrid and ICE cars is not that far apart,” Riyanto emphasized.

On the other hand, on a different occasion, an observer from Permata Bank speculated that the amount of the hybrid car incentive is still insufficient in the eyes of manufacturers.

Photo : PT SIS

“If you asked the APM (Brand Holder Agents) earlier, I could tell from their tone that the incentive is insufficient. Perhaps what is hoped for is equal treatment for hybrids and EVs,” said Josua Pardede, Chief Economist of Permata Bank, on a different occasion.

For the hybrid car incentive to be more effective and enjoyed by both manufacturers and consumers, Josua stated that discussions involving various related parties are still necessary.

Car Sales Hybrid in RI Still Led by Toyota

Even before the incentive, the Toyota Kijang Innova Zenix Hybrid had led hybrid car sales (wholesales or shipments from factory to dealer) throughout 2024.

The latest generation of the Kijang Innova took first place with wholesale figures of 26,470 units. 

Three other Toyota models also made it into the top 10, namely the Yaris Cross HEV (4,114 units), Alphard HEV (3,838 units), and Vellfire HEV (510 units).

Photo : KatadataOTO

Overall, wholesale figures for hybrid cars throughout 2024 were 57,713 units, an increase of 0.09 percent from 52,568 units in 2023.

Meanwhile, in January 2025, the wholesale figures for the Kijang Innova Zenix HEV took first place with 1,894 units. This was followed by the Suzuki XL Hybrid with 1,015 units, Alphard HEV with 407 units, Suzuki Grand Vitara with 251 units, and Yaris Cross HEV with 227 units.

This rapid growth makes manufacturers optimistic that in 2025 there will continue to be an increase in interest and sales of hybrid cars in Indonesia, and it is expected to contribute to overall national sales.