JAKARTA -- China's automaker BYD launched its premium brand DENZA on Wednesday to expand its presence in Indonesia's upscale automotive market.

"This year, BYD will bring more new models to Indonesia," said Liu Xueliang, general manager of BYD Asia-Pacific auto sales division, during the launch event in Jakarta.

According to him, DENZA is a BYD wholly owned brand. As the brand's first high-end MPV model, DENZA D9 has achieved cumulative sales of over 300,000 units since its release in May 2022.

Eagle Zhao, president director of PT BYD Motor Indonesia, BYD's local subsidiary, noted that despite a slowdown in the overall automotive market last year, Indonesia's electric vehicle (EV) market continued to grow significantly.

"As we all know, demand for EVs in Indonesia is surging annually. This rapid growth presents a significant opportunity for industry players, and we are thrilled to be the leading player in this exciting transition toward sustainable mobility," he said.

As a pioneer in China's EV industry, BYD sold a total of 15,000 EVs across Indonesia last year.