The First Export of Toyota’s Electrified Vehicles made by Indonesians

Karawang (Tuesday, February 21) – Toyota Indonesia launched exports of the Toyota Kijang Innova Zenix Hybrid Electric Vehicles into the Global market. As we enter to the electrification era, this milestone of Toyota Indonesia shows their continuous efforts to enhance capabilities and the level of excellence in automotive manufacturing, allowing their product to be exported and thereby contributing  towards Indonesia’s industry development and trade balance. 

“The achievement of the Kijang Innova Zenix Hybrid Electric Vehicle export would not have been possible without the Indonesia Government’s full support, the strong partnership from our entire supply chain including Small and Medium Industries (SMI), and the support of the people of Indonesia who have welcomed the vehicle, allowing us to gain scale needed for export. Hopefully, we can contribute more, to grow together, and to escalate our global competitiveness in fulfilling Indonesia’s potential and the global automotive industry development,” said President Director of PT. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) Warih Andang Tjahjono.

In 2023, TMMIN will initially aim to export more than 8,000 units of Kijang Innova Zenix with a composition 30% of Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and 70% of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), to countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. TMMIN expects that the export of Kijang Innova Zenix will continue to increase yearly, increasing to 17,000 units overall in 2025.

“The first exports of electrified vehicles, starting with the Kijang Innova Zenix Hybrid Electric Vehicles, are part of Toyota Indonesia’s efforts to participate in achieving the Government's target of decarbonization, being a leading Green Economy and supporting the country’s trade balance. This CBU export achievement includes electrified batteries that are assembled locally at our TMMIN plant in Karawang. Toyota Indonesia has introduced various models of low carbon vehicles through our multi-pathway strategy, from fuel efficient and biofuel vehicles, including our HEV such as Kijang Innova Zenix Hybrid Electric Vehicle and even Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), and Battery electric vehicles (BEV). We will continue to maintain Indonesia’s position as a key production and export base of electrified vehicles, especially HEVs,” added Warih.

The export ceremony of the Kijang Innova Zenix was attended by the Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Kanasugi Kenji, Karawang Regent Cellica Nurrachadiana, CEO of Asia Region and President of Toyota Motor Asia Pacific Hao Quoc Tien, Toyota Indonesia management and Toyota Indonesia supplier companies, which included Small and Medium Industries (SMI).

The Long History of Toyota Indonesia Export Activity

Toyota Indonesia started export activities in 1987 through the first shipment of the 3^rd Generation Kijang model to Brunei Darussalam. The Kijang model continued to play an important role in Toyota Indonesia’s export journey as the first model with massive volume export increase in 2004, starting from 100 units of export per year to 3,000 units per year after becoming part of the Global IMV (Innovative International Multipurpose Vehicle) project. Thereafter, exports by Toyota Indonesia continued to significantly expand with the addition of new export models, for instance the Avanza and Fortuner, as well as to new export destinations in Asia and the Middle East region.

The Kijang model also contributed to two historical milestones of Toyota brand’s exports in 2022. In February 2022, the cumulative export volume of Toyota brand reached 2 million units since 1987. This was celebrated along with the first export to Australia. Furthermore, from January to December 2022, export volumes of Toyota’s brand recorded the highest annual sales of 297,000 units. By 2022, Toyota Indonesia exports extended to more than 80 destinations countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, and Middle East region, covering 4 continents namely Asia, Africa, America, Australia, and consisted of 9 Toyota models produced locally.

Now, the Kijang model is making history once again as the first electrified model exported by Toyota Indonesia and will be a significant factor to achieve the increase of export vehicle volume target of Toyota model by 5% in 2023. Besides the volume increase, in this year, Toyota Indonesia will reach more export destinations as well.

“Kijang Innova Zenix Hybrid Electric Vehicle export strengthened Toyota Indonesia’s position as one of Toyota’s key global production and export base in the Asia-Pacific region. We will continue to enhance our quality, so in the future, Toyota Indonesia product volume will continue to increase and we will be on top of the mind of Indonesia and global consumers. The first export of electrified vehicles is also proving the capabilities of Indonesia’s human resources to produce competitive, high technology automotive products. We will continue to commit to fully support human resources development, especially by sharpening the skills required for electrification transition, such as batteries, new and renewable energy, including hydrogen, connectivity, and many more, to maintain and strengthen Indonesia’s role as a premium global automotive industry player,” said Director of External Relations of PT TMMIN Bob Azam.

Automotive Human Resources Development in Electrification Era

Toyota Indonesia collaborates with education stakeholders and together disseminates electrification knowledge through universities research and national seminar series activities. Toyota Indonesia also established their xEV Center as a learning, capability, and research facility for electrification, green energy, and mobility to support a better understanding of automotive industry technologies and the electrification ecosystem for the future.

Toyota Indonesia also collaborates with 10 vocational schools as Pilot Schools in building electrification education of automotive industry. This program is targeted to increase vocational graduate competency by implementing link and match pattern to bridge the industry needs and education. Toyota Indonesia, through this CSR activity,  not only shares practical tools using augmented reality technologies which contain electrification knowledge but also supports vocational teachers in designing practical curriculum.

Competent and certified human resources, especially with specific expertise in electrification technologies with greater focus on practical learning, are expected to answer the challenges of at this key moment of transition of the automotive industry. This fulfils Toyota Indonesia’s vision of “Developing People before Developing Products” which the key to long term contribution and sustainability of Indonesia’s growth. (*)