Reported on July 20, 2024, BAIC Group, through its Indonesia’s sole distributor company PT JHL Internasional Otomotif (JIO), appointed PT Handal Indonesia Motor (PT HIM) as a local assembly partner. The signing ceremony for this CKD assembly agreement was held at GIIAS 2024 on July 17.
At PT HIM's new facility located in Purwakarta, BAIC Indonesia will occupy one production line with the plan to make 1,680 BAIC BJ40 Plus units in 2025, followed by BJ30 and X55 II production in years 2 and 3. BEV production is also planned for the following year. In its first 5 years, BAIC Indonesia targets production of around 12,000 units per year.
In the initial stage, PT JIO will assemble BAIC vehicles in semi-knock-downs (SKD), where the manufacturer will receive semi-finished vehicles directly from the BAIC factory in China. After that, BAIC models will be manufactured as a full CKD, using quality materials sourced locally to meet the TKDN (Domestic Component Level) regulations. PT JIO plans to expand sales in Indonesia and through exports to the ASEAN market.
PT JIO also added that in the next 5 years, it plans to build a special BAIC vehicle factory covering an area of 40 hectares with a total investment of over IDR 1 trillion. This plan opens up opportunities for this facility to become a general assembly partner for other brands in Indonesia and even ASEAN.
(From an article of Republika on July 20, 2024 and multiple sources)