Indonesia's news this week was about what comes next: local production dates, new Chery Group brands and a legal risk for BYD's premium line, with sales data showing where the competition stands.
Production and brand expansion
Omoda says it will begin building the O4 electric vehicle in Indonesia in November 2026 and announce its price then; it was introduced in July without one (report, second report). Chery has not committed to its own plant: Chery, Jaecoo and iCar vehicles are assembled at contract manufacturer PT Handal Indonesia Motor, and president director Zeng Shuo said the company could move sooner if the government's offer is attractive.
The Chery Group runs four brands in Indonesia (Chery, Omoda Jaecoo, Lepas and iCar) and is preparing to add Luxeed. Candidates reported by detikOto include the Llounge MPV, the RX and the R7, none confirmed. The Freelander 8 is planned for 2027, and its price depends on whether it is imported complete or assembled locally (details). Gaikindo figures put the Jaecoo J5 at 26,535 wholesale units so far in 2026.
BYD: sales data, charging and a lawsuit
Through September the BYD M6 ranked third among MPVs with 12,194 wholesale units, behind Toyota's Avanza and Veloz, which together total 48,506. The M6 DM-i starts around Rp298 million, but its shipments have fallen each month since June: 698 in September, down 39.8% from August. BYD's 1,500 kW Flash Charging is now at 10 Danza dealerships. A Jakarta court case filed by PT Raden Reza Adi over the Denza name seeks Rp 9.5158 trillion from BYD and its Indonesian partners; defendants are due to be summoned on February 23, 2027 (report, second report).
What it means
- Local production is now a launch milestone in itself: the O4's price is tied to the November start.
- The M6 shows an established Chinese EV brand can reach the top three in a segment while still trailing the Japanese leaders by a wide margin.
- The Denza case is a claim, not a ruling; its outcome would matter only if the court finds for the plaintiff.