In Cikarang, Indonesia, a new kind of family car is rolling off the line—one that can drive 1,400 kilometers before needing to stop for fuel or charge. Chinese automaker DFSK has just launched the right-hand drive version of its E5 Plus plug-in hybrid SUV at the 2026 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in Tangerang, marking the model's first debut in right-hand drive markets and signaling a bigger push into Southeast Asia by Chinese carmakers.
The launch comes as Chinese automotive companies shift away from simply exporting cars toward building them locally. DFSK, which operates under the Seres Group umbrella, opened its Indonesian factory in Cikarang, West Java, to assemble vehicles for the domestic market and for export to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom—all markets where drivers sit on the right side of the car.
Local production matters in Indonesia because the government requires automakers to use a certain amount of locally-made parts to qualify for tax breaks and lower import tariffs. Indonesia also happens to hold the world's largest reserves of nickel, a key ingredient in electric car batteries. By manufacturing nearby, DFSK aligns itself with Indonesia's goal of becoming a major electric and hybrid vehicle production hub for the entire ASEAN region.
The E5 Plus is built with Indonesian families in mind. The local version comes with six seats, including two captain chairs in the second row—perfect for households where grandparents, kids, and luggage all need to fit. The battery holds 25.3 kilowatt-hours of energy, enough for about 140 kilometers of pure electric driving under standard testing conditions. For longer trips across provinces where charging stations remain few and far between, a gasoline engine kicks in to extend total range to roughly 1,400 kilometers—about the distance from New York to Miami, traveled without stopping for fuel.
The car also speaks the language of its drivers. Seres localized the dashboard software to support Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, Malay, Vietnamese, and Traditional Chinese. Apple CarPlay and Spotify come built in, addressing a common complaint about early Chinese electric cars that used locked-in, region-specific software. Safety features include adaptive cruise control that maintains distance from the car ahead, lane-centering assistance, lane departure warnings, five radar units, 22 sensors total, a 360-degree camera system, and a view through the underbody to help drivers navigate narrow alleys or rutted rural roads during heavy monsoon season.
More than 1,200 people in Indonesia had already placed pre-orders before the auto show even opened, signaling strong early interest in a spacious hybrid hauler priced below comparable models from Japanese competitors. DFSK president Amy Gong presented the vehicle personally, emphasizing that the company plans to expand its sales and service network across Indonesia while developing localized research and development capabilities. The message is clear: this isn't just a one-time launch—it's the start of a longer commitment to the Indonesian market and the wider right-hand drive world.