Rumors of Innova Hycross Appearing, Here's Toyota's Response

 Toyota is reportedly preparing the Innova with hybrid electrification. This news emerged from India, after the leak of a new patent with the Innova Hycross brand. How did PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) respond?

"I haven't seen the model yet, how can I comment on it," said Bob Azam, Director for Administration, Corporate & External Affairs, Technical Government Affairs PT TMMIN in Semarang, Central Java.

Quoted by rushlane, Wednesday (27/5/2022), the news of Innova Hycross emerged after registering a new trademark in India. It is suspected that this name will be used for the new generation of Innova which is planned to be launched in early 2023.

Several times the newest 7-seater MPV car was caught in a road test in India. From the circulating spy shots, the dimensions are still the same as the Innova Crysta sold in the country of Bollywood. 

Rushlane also mentioned that the Toyota Innova Hybrid 2023 will use bigger wheels and LED tail lights. The current Innova model borrows from the Fortuner and Hilux body-on-frame chassis, but the next generation Innova Hycross is said to be getting the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, like the hybrid cars already sold by Toyota.

Hybrid cars are one of Toyota's ways to combat emissions in Indonesia. This manufacturer has set up production facilities for hybrid cars. Bob explained that the Toyota factory in Karawang already has a special branch line or subline for hybrid cars. The changes are not many, it is still integrated with the mainline with products already sold in Indonesia.

"That's the concept, subline. So the mainline is still mixed with the conventional one, but there is a subline. The change (production line) is also not too significant," said Bob

Although it has been confirmed that it will produce hybrids in Indonesia. Bob has not specified the exact model of the vehicle that will be made at the Karawang factory. Currently, a number of Toyota models that have been stung by electrification in Indonesia are the Camry, Alphard, Camry, Corolla Altis, Corolla Cross, and Prius.

"Yes (hybrid production from existing models). It's just a matter of time." he added.

But some time ago, the Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang, mentioned that the first localized hybrid car was the Kijang Innova.

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Tesla Choose Thailand for Investment in 2022, Indonesia When?

 Tesla Company (Thailand) Ltd., inaugurated their entry into the Thai automotive industry. This is indicated by the appearance of the name on the website of the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce Thailand today (25/5). The initial investment value is stated to be only 3 million Baht or around IDR 1.2 trillion.

Reported by The Thaiger, the main purpose of this investment is to sell electric cars or Electric Vehicles (EV) in the White Elephant Country market. Although it did not mention that it would build a battery factory or processing there, it did state that Tesla Company Ltd., would install and sell its energy distribution and storage systems as well. It looks like some things other than this car are charging device systems and not battery production.

The Energy Storage System used in Thailand, was actually promised to Indonesia some time ago. However, the plan was cancelled, and instead was carried out in Thailand first. Does Tesla prefer Thailand over Indonesia? It doesn't seem so. Moreover, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, had asked for a cooperation commitment to Elon Musk, the Founder of Tesla, when he met last May 14.

"Following up to my order to talk to Elon about investment, about technology, about innovation, and now I'm here and meet directly with Elon to discuss future collaborations," the President said.

From the Setkab page, it is stated that Elon Musk still has an interest in collaborating with Indonesia. He looks very optimistic about Indonesia's future and has positive energy.

"I think Indonesia has great potential, and I think we through Tesla and Space X will try some collaborations with Indonesia. We will look closely at the forms of cooperation in many ways, because Indonesia has a lot of potential. Moreover, Indonesia has a large population and continues to grow. This is good because we need a lot of people in the future,” said Elon.

It could be that the Indonesian Government's agenda initiated by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Panjaitan is still in the process of being aligned. From a different source, it was stated that Luhut conveyed that the investment plan from Elon Musk's company would still require time and a process that is not short.

“Entering investment from a company is not as easy as snapping a finger, it takes a long process and time. Moreover, this is an investment with a jumbo value. So we have to be patient, so that later we can really bring great benefits to the community and the country as we all hope," said Coordinating Minister Luhut in an official statement, Monday (23/5).

For now, Tesla is already circulating in Indonesia through Prestige Motorcars. The general importer's move to sell electric cars has been done for a long time. However, Tesla's penetration and contribution to the electric vehicle industry are yet to be seen. It will be interesting to wait for the development of EV if Tesla penetrates into the country, because in 2021 the company initiated by Elon Musk has succeeded in placing the Model 3 as the best-selling electric car in the world with more than 500 thousand units of sales in a year.

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Toyota Emphasizes the Importance of Triple Helix Collaboration in Facing the EV Era

 Toyota Indonesia in collaboration with Diponegoro University (Undip) Semarang held a national seminar with the theme "100 Years of Indonesia Automotive Industry, Realizing Indonesia Net-Zero Emission". This seminar was held in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Toyota Indonesia's existence until the next 50 years of contribution to the national automotive industry. This seminar activity is also part of the effort to support and realize the government's aspirations to achieve the future target of an Emission-Free Indonesia.

"Hopefully this national seminar activity can become a forum for comprehensive discussions that help and support Indonesia's acceleration in achieving the Net Zero Emission target. This can certainly be realized through joint synergy between educational institutions, the younger generation, and industry, especially the national automotive industry," said Warih Andang Tjahjono. , President Director of PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN).

The collaboration of three parties, namely the government, academia and industry, which Toyota calls the Triple Helix. These three are important elements to support the Indonesia Net Zero Emission target by 2060. Some of them are carried out through greener life activities and equitable national economic development.

For Indonesia who is aiming for a position as a global player, carbon neutrality will be the main driver of future change for the life sector. Indonesia's young generation will lead in this era.

Toyota believes that students as the younger generation can be prepared earlier in taking the initiation of the green movement. Therefore, higher education institutions play a strategic role in developing, reviewing, and preparing the younger generation as the next highly competitive human resource.

The presentation of the national seminar was opened by the Director of Climate Change Mitigation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) RI, Emma Rachmawati, who explained the government's commitment to realizing the net zero emission target, including what strategies the Indonesian government has taken.

UNDIP presented the Head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr. Ing. Wiwandari Hadayani ST, MT, MPS who gave a global perspective on net zero emissions, commitments, contributions and achievements of Indonesia and industry. Wiwandari also explained about the strategies of other countries that could be used as examples and applied to the country. The role of academics through research in supporting the strategy for implementing the emission-free target as well as the challenges in the future are also discussed.

Toyota's strategy in achieving emission reductions through multi pathways contributes to all parties in the fight against carbon emissions. Various electrification technologies that can be accessed by all parties can accelerate the development of an integrated electric vehicle ecosystem from upstream to downstream. This strategic step aims to make Indonesia a global player in electric vehicle manufacturers and play a role in the international market supply chain.

This national seminar activity is a part of the launch of the xEV Center which was held last week. The presence of the xEV Center is expected to realize a positive synergy between universities and the automotive industry sector. The strategic contribution of the younger generation as pioneers in learning activities and research on electrification technology, green energy and mobility in Indonesia is the first step in preparing the electrification ecosystem in Indonesia.

"We want to continue to contribute to the future of Indonesia's carbon neutrality by increasing the capability of national human resources which is in line with our philosophy of "Make People Before Make Products". students' abilities and knowledge in green technology so that they contribute to the electrification era industry," said Bob Azam, Corporate Affairs External Director of PT TMMIN

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After Forester Subaru Indonesia Makes Sure There Will Be More New Products in 2022, Could it be XV?

 Marking the revival of the Subaru car brand in Indonesia, PT Plaza Auto Mega or Plaza Subaru officially presents the Forester SUV. They also guarantee after sales service with a 3S dealer program (sales, service, and spare parts) in the Alam Sutera area, South Tangerang.

For the domestic market, the first Subaru Forester product is presented in 2 different variants, namely the 2.0-i L and 2.0-i S EyeSight. Each is offered with a tag of Rp. 579.5 million and Rp. 659.5 million, which are already on the road (OTR) Jakarta.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Subaru Indonesia, Arie Christopher, said that this year there will still be surprises for new products for consumers. But unfortunately he was reluctant to specify what specific models will be launched.

"There will be several models. But if you look at the global Subaru website, there aren't many products. You already know which ones will enter Indonesia. So basically as long as the product is compatible with the market and regulations in Indonesia, we will definitely take it," he said. Arie, not too long ago.

To focus on selling Subaru products in Indonesia itself, he said that the SUV segment would be boosted by Subaru. However, the sedan model is also one of the agendas targeted by this new APM Subaru. "Indeed, we are interested in selling sedans, but our goal and priority is SUVs," he added.

Huge Potential Subaru XV

The faucet for information about new products is still closed tightly by Subaru Indonesia. But they try to play pretty by giving a kind of message that the Subaru XV will be one of the new product candidates for the domestic market. 

The code was displayed through a 1 minute 9 second teaser video on the official Subaru Indonesia YouTube channel. At the end of the Forester product introduction video there is a framing of a mysterious white car with some parts of the body still covered. Allegedly it is a crossover Subaru XV which is also known as the Subaru Crosstrek in some countries.

This can be seen from the XV's distinctive shape, similar to the Subaru Impreza hatchback with high ground clearance and body cladding like an SUV. The car is the second generation of the XV model line which was introduced at the 2017 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) auto show.

Citing the official Subaru America website, the Subaru XV or Crosstrek has also been equipped with the same Subaru Global Platform as the Forester in Indonesia. The use of this construction is claimed to be safer, more comfortable, and offers good rigidity.

Regarding the engine, behind the bonnet resides the 2.0-liter FB20 Boxer engine which is capable of producing maximum power of up to 152 horsepower and peak torque of 196 Nm. The output is mated to a Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) drive system with a CVT automatic transmission.

In the United States, the Subaru Crosstrek is sold starting from 23,145 USD or Rp. 338.8 million (exchange rate of 1 USD = Rp. 14,609.55 as of May 25, 2022), to the most expensive type of Crosstrek Sport which is sold at LEGO for 27,495 USD or Rp. 409 million.

This crossover is also available in a hybrid engine option which sells for 36,345 USD or the equivalent of IDR 530 million. It feels like we just have to wait a little longer for the official launch procession of this car. It is also important to note that prior to the Plaza Subaru flag, APM had previously traded the Subaru XV for consumers in Indonesia.

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Due to the conflict with Russia, the Finnish MotoGP was forced to be postponed until 2023

 The 12th MotoGP series in Finland this year had to be postponed until 2023. The problem was triggered by several things, ranging from the unfinished homologation of the circuit track to the heated geopolitical tensions between Finland and Russia.

Russia's tensions with Ukraine have indeed cut global supply chains because of a series of sanctions against Russia. Several countries have also taken policies, including Finland which is planning to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), this is something Russia is opposed to taking decisive steps to cut off gas supplies to Finland.

With various considerations, the motorcycle racing regulatory body or FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme) decided to postpone the Finnish MotoGP race series this year.

"The homologation work on the KymiRing, together with the risks posed by the ongoing geopolitical situation in the region, sadly requires the cancellation of the Finnish Grand Prix in 2022," MotoGP wrote on its official website, Wednesday (25/5).

This year is actually a comeback moment for Finland to hold an elite MotoGP race again after a 40-year hiatus. The country last hosted MotoGP in 1984, but with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Finland closing the train to St Petersburg, plans to join NATO are unlikely to materialize.

Therefore, all parties have agreed that the track debut should be postponed until 2023, when MotoGP hopes to return to Finland for the first time in 4 decades.

For information, the postponement of the Finnish GP series is the result of considerations from the FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sport. Therefore, in the absence of Finland from the MotoGP 2022 racing calendar, the race series will be 20 from the original 21 series.

As a result, after the German MotoGP series at the Assen Circuit on June 26, he will immediately go to the British GP at the Silverstone Circuit on July 10, 2022, replacing the KymiRing Circuit in Finland.

Finland also crossed out last year

Last year the Finnish race series was also removed from the MotoGP calendar list. The consideration at that time was because of the complexity of traveling to the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Well, even though he has canceled 2 MotoGP races, it doesn't reduce Finland's quota as the host until 2026. Hopefully, in the 2023 season, this country will be able to hold MotoGP again without any conflict, technical problems, and heated geopolitical tensions.

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Increase HR, Hyundai Trains Local Suppliers

 PT Hyundai Motor Manufacturing (HMMI) views the important role of suppliers in terms of maintaining the quality of products made in Indonesia. The South Korean manufacturer held an R&D Level Up Training which was a continuation of the Indonesian Supplier R&D Improvement Program which had been held since 2021.

This program is part of Hyundai Motor's contribution to further improve the quality of human resources from local supplier partners who supply Hyundai vehicle components. After going through the basic training stages in 2021 which are part of the selection process, this year's advanced training program will involve more than 80 participants from 20 suppliers, this program will be held from May to December 2022 at Hyundai Motor's Mobility Innovation Center.

“Hyundai Motor has always been committed to growing with our local supplier partners, and at the same time, making a significant contribution to Indonesia to further strengthen its human resources. We are happy to see how the knowledge that we present meets the needs of our partners, especially in supporting joint efforts to build future mobility which has always been the focus of Hyundai," said Yoon Seok Choi, President Director of PT HMMI in his statement, Wednesday (25/5). /2022).

In the early stages of last year's program, participants had learned basic R&D knowledge to build their understanding of Hyundai vehicle manufacturing processes, manufacturing standards or requirements for local partners, and several other production sciences. The participants participated enthusiastically and gave positive results. The majority of participants made requests to gain more complete knowledge. Including workshops that show field practice. The local supplier knowledge score even increased significantly in this training, from 2.7 to 7.1 points.

“Indonesia is an extraordinary country that has the greatest assets to develop further, those assets are people who have the potential and intelligence to think. I witnessed this fact firsthand while leading this training session. We hope to see local suppliers participating in this program apply their new skills and knowledge, then take the quality of the products they make to a higher level," said Arief Tri Wahyudi, R&D Manager of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Indonesia.

Hyundai Motor then continues this program through R&D Level Up Training where basic R&D knowledge from selected local suppliers will be retrained. In addition, suppliers are provided with advanced knowledge regarding GD&T (geometric dimension & tolerance). It is a system that helps engineers and manufacturers optimally control variations in the manufacturing process, as well as study the material testing process.

In addition to the Indonesian Supplier R&D Improvement Program, Hyundai also organizes regular Automobile Technology Training & Internship programs. This program opens up opportunities for vocational students in Bekasi to receive automotive technology training and provides an internship opportunity for six months.

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Glancing at Astra Daihatsu Ayla as a Millennial Vehicle

 The low cost green car segment or commonly known as LCGC is one of the segments that offers a variety of models. Present in Indonesia as one of the models targeted by the first car owners, LCGC is also one of the choices for millennials in the country thanks to the offer of features, models and of course competitive prices.

One that plays here is Astra Daihatsu Ayla. This city car is one of the models that contributed to Daihatsu's top sales with a figure of 250 thousand units since its introduction in 2013. This achievement was strengthened by the results of retail sales in April 2022 as many as 6,891 units. This figure accounts for 11.1 percent of Daihatsu's total sales in April.

"Daihatsu always tries to provide the best products according to the needs of the Indonesian people, especially young people through Astra Daihatsu Ayla. Various contemporary features are embedded, we believe Ayla can be the choice of millennials in providing vehicles that are stylish, entertaining, and peace of mind," said Dendy Triyanto, Executive Coordinator Head of Product I Department PT Astra Daihatsu Motor (ADM) in his statement, Wednesday ( 25/5/2022).

The exterior design of Ayla has a sporty grille and bumper with dynamic alloy wheel rims. Coming with the slogan Sahabat Seru, Ayla's appearance is supported by the addition of new color variants namely Yellow Metallic and Glittering Silver Metallic which complements other colors such as Orange Metallic, red solid, dark gray metallic, icy white solid, and ultra black solid. Ayla offers dimensions of 3,640 mm in length, 1,600 mm in width and 1,520 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,455 mm and a ground clearance of 180 mm.

Targeting millennials, Ayla comes with an interior display with a dominant black color and sporty patterned seats. Its features are no less, it comes with retractable mirrors that make it easier for the driver to adjust the mirrors when passing through narrow roads. There is back sonar with parking camera for easy reverse parking.

The modern side comes from digital air conditioning settings that make it easy to regulate the cabin temperature. The entertainment side features a 2-DIN touch screen that can play various file formats. There are shared compartments for storing items and cup holders scattered throughout the cabin.

The security features are quite complete. Daihatsu Ayla is equipped with standard braking features Anti-lock braking system (ABS) and Electronic brake-force distribution (EBD). In addition, there are dual SRS airbags for the driver and front passenger and the presence of an immobilizer for security.

Regarding the engine, Ayla offers two choices of power sources to choose from. There is a 1.0L 1KR-DE DOHC 998 cc engine with a maximum power of 65 ps at 6,000 rpm and 86 Nm of torque at 3,600 rpm. Another option is the 1.2L 3NR-VE DOHC Dual VVT-i 1,197 cc engine with a maximum power of 88 ps at 6,000 rpm and 108 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. Both models are offered with a choice of manual and AT transmission.

Ayla offers a total of 12 variants to choose from. The price tag starts from IDR 108 million to IDR 166 million

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