The influx of Chinese automobile companies into Indonesia continues to grow. This time, Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. (BAIC) makes its debut in the country through PT JIO Distribusi Indonesia (PT JDI).
Interestingly, BAIC approaches the Indonesian market differently. Instead of introducing electric vehicles like other Chinese manufacturers, BAIC arrives with two conventional cars.
These two vehicles are the BAIC BJ-40 Plus SUV and the BAIC X-55 crossover. The BAIC BJ-40 Plus in Indonesia comes with a single engine option: a 4-cylinder, 16-valve, 2,000cc DOHC Turbocharged petrol engine paired with an 8-speed transmission from the renowned German manufacturer ZF Friedrichshafen.
Meanwhile, the BAIC X55-II, a Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) Medium SUV, is equipped with an engine dubbed MAGIC-CORE, featuring a 4-cylinder, 16-valve, 1500cc DOHC Turbocharged configuration.
Dhani Yahya, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of PT JDI, stated that these two models were chosen for a specific reason. He believes that Indonesian consumers also have a demand for high-functional cars.
Thus, they currently have no plans to introduce electric cars to Indonesia. “BAIC BJ40 Plus and BAIC X-55 II are the first two models we have specifically selected to meet the diverse needs of Indonesian consumers,” he explained.
Furthermore, Dhani Yahya noted that BAIC’s presence in Indonesia would intensify the competition among Chinese car manufacturers, each having its own strengths.
“The presence of Chinese manufacturers in the Indonesian automotive market has its own allure and undoubtedly builds great optimism for us that BAIC will soon capture an increasing market share in Indonesia’s automotive sector over the next 5 years,” he added.
