Jetour Discusses Obstacles to Bringing Affordable Electric Cars to Indonesia

KatadataOTO – Chinese manufacturers in Indonesia are widely known for their competitively priced products. Especially when compared to similar models in the same class.

However, not all brands bring their flagship affordable electric car models to Indonesia. For example, the BYD Seagull was replaced by the Dolphin in the country.

Globally, the BYD Seagull is touted as one of the most affordable electric cars offered to consumers.

The Chinese brand, Jetour, also did not introduce an entry-level model in Indonesia. For instance, in its home country and the Philippines, they have a model identical to the Air EV, namely the Jetour Ice Cream.

Photo : KatadataOTO

Instead, they focused on offering gasoline-powered cars for their debut in Indonesia. It was only at IIMS (Indonesia International Motor Show) 2025 that Jetour brought the X50e electric concept car to introduce to the public.

“Many things must be considered. Finding a suitable model to satisfy this segment and then introducing it,” said Jacky Yang, President Director of PT Jetour Motor Indonesia, on the sidelines of IIMS 2025 some time ago.

So, price is not the only determining factor. Jetour will ensure that the products introduced are tailored to the tastes of the country's public, so that sales can be good.

Then, policies and regulations such as government incentives are also a consideration before bringing affordable electric cars into the country.

“To satisfy this (entry-level) segment, we don't just choose one model. We must research the specific needs of the public, such as design, features, and government policies,” said Jacky.

Finally, he emphasized that the price of Jetour's affordable electric cars in the Chinese market cannot be used as a benchmark for estimating their price tag when they later arrive in the country.

Photo : Courtesy

For your information, Jetour has currently only introduced two gasoline-powered car products. The brand is currently focused on expanding its dealer network to 30 outlets in 2025.

Currently, there are two locations already operating in the Pluit and Kelapa Gading areas. In the future, official Jetour dealers will be present in various other major cities, not just Jakarta, for example, from Makassar to Surabaya.

Speaking of products, the Jetour Dashing and X70 Plus will be locally assembled at the facility owned by PT Handal Indonesia Motor.