Changan Hopes Government Treats REEV Like BEV

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The electric vehicle market in Indonesia continues to be enlivened by the arrival of new brands. Changan, a Chinese automaker, is one of the aggressive players in expanding its market penetration in the country.

So far, Changan has marketed two electric vehicles in Indonesia. The debut of this Chinese manufacturer began with the Deepal S07 and Lumin.

In terms of concept or operating principle, REEV can be classified as a serial hybrid vehicle because it still uses petrol. However, its petrol engine is only used to charge the battery when needed. In addition to relying on the petrol engine, the battery power can also be charged using a charging device like conventional electric vehicles.

Changan’s strategy in Indonesia is already aligned with the government’s commitment to electric vehicle industrialisation. CEO of Changan Indonesia, Setiawan Surya, stated that Changan’s electric vehicles are currently produced locally with a Domestic Component Level (TKDN) of 40 per cent.

“We hope that REEV can be treated the same as BEV. The hope is that, because the technology is different. So for short distances, it’s definitely 100 per cent battery power used,” said Setiawan in Beijing, China, recently.

Setiawan assessed that, in daily operations, REEV users actually rely more on electric energy from the battery. The internal combustion engine (ICE) in the REEV system only functions as a generator or power booster when the battery reaches a certain level.

“Because of the range as well, what we saw yesterday with the (Deepal) S05 was about 170 km. For electric mode use, that means for short distances, the petrol hasn’t started yet,” said Setiawan.

Setiawan added that, if we may hope, they want vehicles with REEV technology to be treated the same as BEV. That means not only receiving tax incentives but also being exempt from odd-even restrictions.

This hope certainly provides interesting input for regulators in Indonesia, considering that REEV technology offers a transition solution for consumers who are still worried about range anxiety but still want to experience the sensation of driving a pure electric vehicle for daily activities.