Daihatsu new Karawang plant construction starts, hints at EV made in Indonesia



PT Astra Daihatsu held a groundbreaking ceremony to initiate the construction of its second plant line in Karawang to replace its aging plant in Sunter. With the groundbreaking ceremony, Daihatsu hinted that it may start to assemble electric vehicles (EVs) in Indonesia.

The new line in Karawang aims to help Daihatsu to continue providing high-quality vehicles to customers at prices that remain competitive while maintaining the sustainability of the company. The new factory has a total investment value of around IDR 2.9 Trilion (approx. RM823 million) and will adopt the E-SSC (Evolution, Simple, Slim, Compact) concept. It will also have a production capacity of 140,000 vehicles per year.

Daihatsu says that the construction of the new Karawang factory proves the company’s commitment to carbon neutrality which is in line with sustainable development or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Indonesia in the future. The new factory will utilize renewable energy which can reduce carbon emission levels by up to 20%. Not officially stated in the press release, Daihatsu is also hinting at the production of EVs in Indonesia to complement the carbon neutrality efforts.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, CNN Indonesia reports that Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd. Executive Vice President, Hiromasa Hoshika said, “We already have electric car products in Japan and we are conducting studies to introduce them in Indonesia in 2024.”

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The groundbreaking ceremony was carried out by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, Dody Widodo; Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Kenji Kanasugi, and Representative of the Regional Government of Karawang Regency, Ir. H. Hanafi, MM.

Also present were three representatives of the shareholders of PT Astra Daihatsu Motor, such as the Executive Vice President of Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (DMC), Hiromasa Hoshika; Director of PT Astra International Tbk, Hamdhani Dzulkarnaen Salim; Regional Chief Executive Officer of Toyota Tsusho Asia Pacific, Mitsuhiro Tsubakimoto; President Director of ADM Yasushi Kyoda, and Deputy President Director of ADM Erlan Krisnaring Cahyono.

Astra Daihatsu has been present for almost 45 years since 1978. Daihatsu’s production achievements in 2022 also recorded the highest record in history.

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