When GAC Group opened its booths at the 2026 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show, company leaders had a simple question for visitors: What do you actually need from an electric vehicle? The answers they collected are now reshaping what the Chinese automaker builds.

GAC Indonesia walked away from the 10-day show in Tangerang with 2,170 vehicle orders and 1,642 test drives, according to company data. But the numbers tell only part of the story. The real headline is what those customers said—and how GAC is using their answers to build cars differently.

The AION V, a family-sized electric SUV, dominated the order sheet with 1,122 reservations—more than half of everything GAC sold at the show. The smaller AION UT urban hatchback came second with 711 orders, while the premium HYPTEC HT rounded out the lineup with 166. The pattern caught GAC's attention: Indonesian buyers want space, comfort and range, not just a cheap electric car.

Sean Xiong, product director for the AION V, said his team started development by studying how people actually use their vehicles—not by asking what features could be added. "For us, listening is the starting point for every great design," Xiong said. "We don't begin by asking what features can be added, but how people live, travel and what they really need from a vehicle."

GAC calls this approach "Listening First." Researchers gathered feedback from customers across several countries, identifying quality, technology and safety as top priorities. In Indonesia specifically, buyers emphasized cabin comfort, interior space and easy-to-use technology. Those insights went directly into the AION V's engineering, resulting in a spacious interior GAC calls the "Urban Zero-Pressure Suspension Cabin" with flexible seating and smart storage.

The focus on safety paid off: the AION V earned five-star crash-test ratings from both ANCAP, which tests vehicles for Australia and New Zealand, and Euro NCAP, Europe's safety standard.

The AION UT received similar treatment. GAC kept the European-influenced exterior design created by studio chief Stephan Janin but revised interior features based on Indonesian customer preferences. The updated UT runs up to 400 kilometers on a single charge, and its battery can go from 30% to 80% in just 24 minutes using a fast charger.

The strategy seems to be working. GAC said the AION UT recorded the highest wholesale sales in Indonesia's medium-hatchback electric category in May and June, with 121 units delivered in June alone, citing data from Gaikindo, the Indonesian automotive industry group.

Andry Ciu, CEO of GAC Indonesia, said the show represented something bigger than sales figures. "GIIAS 2026 is an important moment for GAC Indonesia to show how every innovation starts with trust built together with customers and is realized through product development based on real consumer needs," Ciu said. "The AION UT updates are the result of various customer feedback since the model was introduced in Indonesia."

With electric vehicle adoption accelerating across Southeast Asia, GAC's customer-first approach could set it apart in a crowded market. The company plans to continue gathering feedback and incorporating it into future updates—turning each buyer into a co-creator of the next generation of its cars.