Indonesia Actively Promoting EV To Combat Air Pollution

JAKARTA, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- Indonesia’s Transport Ministry is actively promoting the shift to electric vehicles (EV) in order to improve air quality, especially in urban areas like Jakarta.

Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi highlighted that vehicles powered by fossil fuels contribute to over 50 per cent of air pollution.

“As people return to their usual routines after the COVID-19 pandemic, air pollution levels in Jakarta have risen,” he said at the ‘Fun Ride’ campaign on Saturday.

The campaign was organised by the Indonesian Electric Motorcycle Industry Association to encourage the public to use electric vehicles.

Last Wednesday, Jakarta was identified as the most polluted city globally, based on data from IQAir, a Swiss firm specialising in air quality technology.

According to Budi, the government is fast-tracking the growth of the electric motorcycle sector, including the development of new EV and converting existing ones.

In fact, the ministry has introduced Regulation No. PM 39 of 2023, outlining guidelines for converting motorcycles from internal combustion engines to battery-powered electric.

As of Aug 10, there are 183 converted electric motorcycles and 59,388 new electric motorcycles.

Budi also suggested that EV manufacturers establish a supportive ecosystem to enhance EV quality and set standard battery specifications while maintaining affordability.

Indonesia is actively seeking investors to aid in restructuring its nickel industry, an essential part of EV batteries manufacturing, and teaching people about the advantages of EV.

The government is also promoting the use of EVs for official transportation in government offices and facilitating the shift from petrol-powered vehicles to EV.

-- BERNAMA