TANGERANG, Indonesia — GAC Indonesia recorded 2,170 car orders on the 2026 Gaikindo Indonesia Worldwide Auto Present, with the bigger AION V electrical SUV accounting for greater than half of the whole and the smaller AION UT city hatchback offering many of the the rest.
The outcomes supply a snapshot of the place GAC sees Indonesia’s electric-vehicle market heading. Whereas the AION UT is geared toward city patrons searching for a smaller battery-electric car, the AION V has attracted considerably extra curiosity, suggesting that Indonesian EV patrons are more and more searching for the area, vary and tools related to standard household SUVs.
GAC Indonesia stated the AION V generated 1,122 orders throughout GIIAS, adopted by 711 for the AION UT and 166 for the premium HYPTEC HT. The corporate additionally recorded 1,642 take a look at drives throughout the present, with the AION V probably the most examined mannequin.
The corporate displayed its full battery-electric lineup at GIIAS, together with the AION UT, AION Y Plus, AION V and HYPTEC HT. However the extra vital story was how GAC described the event of the AION V and the updates made to the AION UT: each are being tailored round info gathered from prospects reasonably than handled as mounted merchandise developed solely for a world market.
GAC calls the method “Listening First.” Sean Xiong, product director for the AION V, stated the event course of started with understanding how individuals use their automobiles.
“For us, listening is the place to begin for each nice design,” Xiong stated. “We don’t start by asking what options will be added, however how individuals dwell, journey and what they actually need from a car. That philosophy formed each side of the AION V, from its design and cabin expertise to its know-how and security.”
GAC stated analysis and buyer suggestions from a number of nations recognized high quality, know-how and security as three of an important components of the driving expertise. These findings have been then integrated into the AION V’s engineering and design.
The SUV was developed by GAC’s design studios in Los Angeles, Milan and Shanghai, whereas its growth integrated suggestions from customers in numerous markets. In Indonesia, buyer enter centered on areas together with cabin consolation, inside area, perceived high quality, sensible options and ease of use.
That course of is mirrored within the AION V’s emphasis on cabin area and long-distance use. GAC describes its inside structure as an “City Zero-Strain Suspension Cabin,” with versatile seating, space for storing and know-how interfaces designed round on a regular basis use.
Security was integrated into the event course of alongside the car’s consolation and know-how. GAC stated the AION V combines a high-strength physique construction, battery safety, driver ergonomics and visibility with energetic and passive security techniques. The mannequin has acquired five-star scores from each ANCAP and Euro NCAP.
At GIIAS, the AION V was provided in Indonesia at costs of about $30,800 for the Unique model and $34,600 for the Luxurious model, based mostly on common costs of 499 million and 560 million Indonesian rupiah. Promotional costs throughout the present lowered these figures to about $28,300 and $29,600, respectively.
The AION UT represents the opposite facet of GAC’s Indonesian EV technique.
The five-door hatchback is constructed on GAC’s AEP 3.0 electrical platform and makes use of a 47.1-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate Journal Battery. Its front-mounted electrical motor produces 100 kilowatts and 145 Nm of torque, whereas claimed vary is as much as 400 kilometers. DC quick charging takes the battery from 30% to 80% in 24 minutes.
For GIIAS, GAC offered an up to date UT following suggestions from Indonesian prospects. The corporate retained the European-influenced design developed by Stephan Janin however modified features of the car to higher match native preferences.
The Indonesian UT is priced at about $21,300 for the Commonplace model and $24,400 for the Premium model, based mostly on costs of 345 million and 395 million rupiah.
GAC Indonesia CEO Andry Ciu stated the adjustments illustrate how the corporate is utilizing buyer suggestions in product growth.
“GIIAS 2026 is a crucial second for GAC Indonesia to indicate how each innovation begins with belief constructed along with prospects and is realized by product growth based mostly on actual shopper wants,” Ciu stated. “The AION UT updates are the results of numerous buyer suggestions for the reason that mannequin was launched in Indonesia.”
The UT can be turning into an essential mannequin for GAC in Indonesia’s rising medium-hatchback EV phase. GAC stated the mannequin recorded the very best wholesales in that phase in Could and June, with 121 items delivered in June based mostly on Gaikindo information. Its listed Jakarta worth later fell to 325 million rupiah, or about $20,100, for the Commonplace model and 375 million rupiah, or about $23,200, for the Premium model.
The GIIAS outcomes point out that the UT’s function just isn’t restricted to being GAC’s entry-level electrical car. Its 711 orders positioned it second within the firm’s gross sales rating throughout the present, whereas the AION V’s 1,122 orders present that demand can be creating for bigger electrical automobiles.
The remainder of the lineup fills out that vary. The AION Y Plus was priced at about $25,900 to $29,600, whereas the HYPTEC HT was listed at about $46,600. The AION Y Plus is positioned as a bigger family-oriented EV, whereas the HYPTEC HT sits on the premium finish of GAC’s battery-electric vary.
GAC’s outcomes additionally level to an essential shift in how Chinese language EV producers are approaching Southeast Asia. Moderately than merely exporting automobiles developed for China, producers are more and more gathering market-specific info and making changes for native situations, preferences and rules.
Indonesia is especially essential as a result of it’s each considered one of Southeast Asia’s largest automotive markets and a serious goal for EV manufacturing. GAC’s Indonesian operation is backed by Indomobil Group, whereas the corporate’s broader regional technique consists of markets utilizing each right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive automobiles.
The Philippines is without doubt one of the markets the place that distinction issues. GAC has shifted its Philippine operation to a direct subsidiary and has been increasing its AION vary there, together with the UT. The mannequin was launched within the Philippines at a recommended retail worth of P1.068 million, with an introductory worth of P998,000, inserting it within the rising marketplace for comparatively reasonably priced electrical hatchbacks.
The Philippine market is at an earlier stage of EV adoption than Indonesia, however the product technique is more and more comparable: smaller battery-electric automobiles for city use alongside bigger electrical SUVs geared toward households and longer-distance journey.
That provides GAC’s customer-feedback method a sensible regional objective. Adjustments made in Indonesia can inform automobiles offered elsewhere in Southeast Asia, whereas the corporate can use completely different markets to establish which options and car configurations translate throughout the area.
The GIIAS outcomes recommend that the technique is gaining traction, no less than when it comes to shopper curiosity. Of the two,170 orders recorded by GAC, the AION V and AION UT collectively accounted for 1,833, or about 84% of the whole.
Ciu stated the excessive proportion of orders for the better-equipped Premium and Luxurious variations was vital as a result of it confirmed that patrons have been contemplating components past fundamental effectivity.
“The two,170 orders at GIIAS 2026 present that public belief in GAC Indonesia continues to develop,” Ciu stated. “What’s more and more fascinating for us is the excessive curiosity within the Premium and Luxurious variants. This exhibits that Indonesian shoppers are now not wanting just for environment friendly electrified automobiles, but additionally need consolation, know-how, efficiency and a extra premium driving expertise.”
That distinction issues for the area’s transition to electrical mobility. Decrease-priced EVs can broaden entry to battery-electric transportation, however the market additionally wants automobiles able to changing the bigger gasoline-powered SUVs and household automobiles that dominate Southeast Asian roads.
GAC’s GIIAS lineup addresses each ends of that market. The AION UT targets city mobility with a smaller battery and hatchback footprint, whereas the AION V demonstrates how an electrical SUV will be developed round household use, consolation and long-distance journey.
The corporate’s 2,170 orders usually are not proof by themselves of sustained EV adoption. They’re showroom orders throughout a serious auto exhibition. However mixed with the corporate’s persevering with gross sales of the UT and the robust curiosity within the AION V, they supply a helpful indication that Indonesian shoppers are contemplating a wider vary of electrical automobiles.
Extra importantly, GAC is utilizing that shopper response as a part of the product-development course of. For a Southeast Asian EV market nonetheless creating its charging infrastructure, rules and shopper expectations, that suggestions loop could also be as essential because the automobiles themselves.
