BYD Discusses Challenges of Bringing Affordable Electric Cars to Indonesia

KatadataOTO – Products like affordable electric cars in Indonesia are arguably still limited, especially those in the Rp 100 million to Rp 200 million price range.

There are several options like the Wuling Air ev and Seres E1. Both have similar dimensions and shapes.

Meanwhile, BYD (Build Your Dreams), although known for its affordable electric cars in the global market, has not yet brought a vehicle line in that price range.

BYD chose to present the Dolphin, Atto 3, Seal, and Sealion 7, offered at prices from Rp 360 million to Rp 720 million.

Photo : BYD

However, looking at BYD's global portfolio, there is another model, the Seagull, which is touted as one of the cheapest electric cars in the global market.

In terms of design, it is also very different from the Air ev and Seres E1, which tend to be boxy. The Seagull has a more dynamic appearance resembling a hatchback.

However, according to BYD, presenting an affordable electric car is not without its challenges. Several things are mentioned as obstacles.

“What we have to look at are the supporting aspects to achieve a certain level and pricing. From a localization perspective, we need to reach a sufficiently high point to achieve competitive pricing,” said Luther Panjaitan, Head of PR and Government Relations at PT BYD Motor Indonesia, on the sidelines of IIMS 2025 recently.

He emphasized that for their electric car products to be competitive, local production needs to be done in large volumes.

Then, manufacturers generally conduct a study first before bringing an electric car to a country, to see if it suits the needs and tastes of consumers there.

Photo : KatadataOTO

“Then, R&D (Research and Development) costs are not cheap; we as manufacturers also need to provide an economical scale to our partners,” Luther stressed.

Although anticipated by BYD consumers, there is no certainty about the Seagull's presence in Indonesia. However, the name Dolphin Mini, another name for the Seagull, has already been registered in the country.

At IIMS 2025, BYD instead launched the SUV version of the Seal, the Sealion 7. Its price is still similar to its sedan predecessor, with two types priced from Rp 629 million to Rp 719 million on the road in Jakarta.