Demand for electric vehicles, either four-wheeled or two-wheeled, in Indonesia or the ASEAN region, will always increase in the futureJakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto responded positively to Toyota Motor Company's initiative to further increase investment in the development of electric vehicles in Indonesia on account of the prospective demand in future.
The commitment was voiced by Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Shigeru Hayakawa, during a meeting with Hartarto and the government delegates in Tokyo, Japan.
“Demand for electric vehicles, either four-wheeled or two-wheeled, in Indonesia or the ASEAN region, will always increase in the future. Indonesia can become an industrial electric vehicle production base, to (have the product) marketed in the ASEAN region or even in Indonesia itself," he noted in a statement on Wednesday.
At the meeting, Hayakawa stated that Toyota will invest more, to the tune of nearly Rp27.1 trillion (almost US$2 billion) in the next five years, as the company grew committed to supporting the electrification of vehicles.
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Toyota has contributed to the reduction of emissions and fossil-based fuel imports by popularizing the use of electric vehicles in Indonesia. It also plans to add some other types of hybrid electric vehicles in the next four years.
President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Akio Toyoda, voiced his commitment to President Jokowi to invest in Indonesia during the Osaka Summit in 2019. Three years after that, Toyota had invested as much as Rp14 trillion (US$932 million).
Apart from investment, they also discussed about upskilling Indonesian engineers. Toyota pursued the goal by developing the xEV Center in May 2022 to hone the skills of local human resources with regard to electrification and prepare them in the digitalization era.
Toyota also worked with Pertamina and Inalum to develop the battery industry in Indonesia by improving and developing the skills of local technicians, local human resources, as well as the next generation of mobility and electrification.
The company also developed the xEV Center as a place to learn about electrification and to support the Indonesia Digital Industry Center 4.0 in a bid to hone the skills of domestic human resources to ready them to face the electrification and digitalization era.
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The company also worked with national technicians to develop the Kijang Innova BEV concept to study about technology and conditions to prepare for a more practical implementation among the citizens.
Hartarto stated that the government will use Toyota's electric vehicle in G20 November 2022 for the delegates.
At the meeting, the minister was accompanied by Industry Ministry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Ambassador of Indonesia to Japan Heri Ahmadi, Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Director General of International Security, Area, and Access at the Industry Ministry.
The representatives of Toyota Motor Corporation included Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Shigeru Hayakawa; President Director of PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN), Warih Andang Tjahjono; and TMC and TMMIN board of directors.
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Translator: Satyagraha, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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