Jakarta. VinFast has opened its first dealer store in Indonesia, just a few months after the Vietnamese automotive company announced it would build a local assembly plant.

VinFast works alongside local company PT Gallerie Setia Utama to open up this dealer store, which lies in Depok, West Java. The dealer store will start selling the electric cars VF5 and VF e34. VinFast also announced its plan to significantly expand its electric vehicle (EV) distribution network across major cities in Indonesia throughout this year. 

“With the opening of the first VinFast dealership in Indonesia, we proudly take another significant step in the journey of bringing high-quality EVs and exceptional after-sales service to consumers in the market,” VinFast Indonesia’s deputy chief executive officer Nguyen Ngoc Chuc said in a press statement. 

VinFast officially began selling its VF e34 model in Indonesia last week at a price of Rp 315 million (approximately $19,740), although the purchase will not include the battery. 

VinFast is planning to construct a $1.2 billion EV assembly plant over a 200-hectare land in Bekasi. The plant will supply right-hand drive EVs for neighboring countries like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Its production will also include EV batteries and electric scooters. The automaker already has a representative office under the name VinFast Indonesia.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo earlier this year toured several ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, in hopes of boosting economic ties. During his trip, Jokowi also visited VinFast’s office in Haiphong.

“We fully support Vinfast’s plans to invest in Indonesia. If you [VinFast] have inquiries about the permits, just talk to my ministers,” Jokowi said during his visit.

Indonesia is seeking to boost its e-mobility adoption. According to news outlet Antara, Indonesia is aiming to have 15 million EVs on its roads by 2030, 2 million of which are electric cars, while the rest are two-wheelers.

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