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Hi there,
On a recent visit to Bengaluru, I had a chance to take a ride in an electric car. It was my first experience of sitting in an EV, and it definitely took a little getting used to.
The engine was silent, and it felt like I was gliding through the road. I couldn’t help but think about the other vehicles on the road too. The experience of silent EV cars or buses creeping up behind me when I ride two-wheelers is something I am becoming too familiar with.
And there are a growing number of EVs in India today. While a number of them are from Indian carmakers such as Tata Motors, I have noticed a lot from Chinese automakers as well.
This is despite the Indian government imposing curbs on the importation of Chinese goods. So when I worked on translating my colleague Nadia’s story about Indonesia’s EV scene, it came as no surprise that Chinese electric car players are dominating the market and edging out Japanese firms.
But how swiftly Chinese automobile makers have done this is quite astonishing. Indonesia’s automobile market has been led by Japanese businesses for a long time, and unlike consumer electronics like mobile phones, this is a product with a higher price tag.
In automobiles, brand names are important for the product’s resale value. So what Chinese electric car makers have been able to do is even more impressive, asthis shows that it is not only a matter of cheaper prices.
That said, it was good to understand the difference in strategy between Chinese and Japanese automobile makers. The latter is betting on a hybrid strategy to take them ahead.
China has put its foot on the accelerator in Southeast Asia’s EV industry, and its current lead over other contenders is only going to increase.
— Collin Furtado, journalist at Tech in Asia
Top stories this week
Image credit: Timmy Loen
1️. How China took the lead in Indonesia’s EV race
While Japan has long led the automotive market in Indonesia, China has become a dominant force in the archipelago’s electric vehicle sector.
2. Facial scan to buy banh mi? That’s not too far off in Vietnam
All online transactions in Vietnam exceeding US$393 now require a facial scan. Surprisingly, some fintech players see this as a potential boon.
We’re excited to hit the town next week!
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