The Indonesian Ministry of Investment/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has recorded an increasing interest of both Chinese and European companies in establishing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU) across the country.

"The interest from companies in China and Europe to build SPKLUs here is already significant," Nurul Ichwan, Deputy for Investment Promotion at BKPM, said as quoted in a statement by Antara on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

He added that despite the strong interest, investment from these foreign companies has been hampered by regulatory hurdles. However, the BKPM plans to introduce regulatory relaxations to ease these challenges and expedite the investments. The primary issue lies with Government Regulation (PP) No. 5/2021, which governs risk-based business permits.

"Under the current regulation, any foreign investment in Indonesia's industries must meet a minimum investment of Rp10 billion (US$613,300). However, setting up a charging station does not require such a high amount. Therefore, we plan to introduce relaxations soon," Ichwan cited.

According to State electricity company PT PLN, the number of SPKLUs in Indonesia was recorded at 2,667 units by the fourth quarter of 2024, showing a substantial increase from only 624 units in the previous year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry has revealed that several automotive companies from China and Europe are also exploring opportunities to invest in electric vehicle (EV) development and EV batteries, particularly in light of tariffs imposed by the United States.

Mahardi Tunggul Wicaksono, Director of Maritime, Transportation Equipment, and Defense Industry at the Ministry of Industry, pointed out that tariff wars do not always have negative effects. He cited the growing interest from Chinese and European firms in partnering with Indonesia as a positive outcome of the trade tensions.

The shift towards electric vehicles and the infrastructure to support them is gaining momentum in Indonesia, presenting a potential boost to both the country's economy and its green energy transition.