Jakarta, Dec 20 (Antara) - To cut the use of fuels, the government has, since 2012, envisioned to mass-produce electric cars, yet until now, the idea has not been realized, due to an issue in the battery system.
A state-owned oil and gas firm has also expressed its support to the government's plan to produce electric cars. Most importantly, the automotive industry has currently developed and is marketing electric cars in countries in the United States and Europe.
However, Indonesia has to further evaluate the battery system, as its electric car still has flaws. The earlier model of electric car also had an engine that easily overheated while going uphill.
"In general, it is good enough, but if it is to be mass-produced, an issue with its battery system needs to be fixed," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) noted while conducting a test drive of an electric car created by a student of the Surabaya-based Institute of Technology Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) on the Surabaya-Mojokerto (Sumo) Toll Road on Tuesday.
The president had conducted a test drive of the electric car on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Sumo Toll Road section 1B, II and III at the Waru Toll Gate, Surabaya, East Java, on Tuesday.
The government has, since 2012, intended to mass-produce electric cars in Indonesia to provide motorists an alternative means of transportation, which is environment-friendly. During the administration of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the government had planned to produce 10 thousand electric cars by 2014.
"We have decided to set up an electric automotive and technology development center to boost the production to reach 10 thousand electric cars in 2014," Hatta Rajasa, former coordinating minister for economic affairs, had stated in July 2012.
Moreover, at that time, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences had produced various types of electric buses and city cars, with models included at scale 7 of the nine technology readiness levels. The technology center will become the main design hub for electric auto components produced by Indonesians.
"The center will receive directions from several government institutions, such as the Research and Technology Ministry, Industry Ministry, Transportation Ministry, and the Ministry of State-owned Enterprises," Rajasa remarked after attending a meeting with government officials to discuss the nation's electric car program.
However, until the end of term of the Yudhoyono government in October 2014, the idea of mass-producing electric cars had not yet been realized.
Currently, the government is again planning to produce electric cars.
Pertamina has expressed its support to the government's plan to develop electric cars in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Herutama Trikoranto, the senior vice president of PT Pertamina Research and Technology, noted that the company is ready to shift to using green energy in the transportation, commercial, and domestic sectors.
"However, the infrastructure and regulations should be well-prepared (by the government)," Trikoranto remarked during the Pertamina Energy Forum 2017 on Dec 13.
In order to support the development of electric cars, the oil and gas company needs to collaborate with an automotive manufacturer in the country.
"Collaborations with automakers are clearly important, mainly in terms of preparing a business road map (for the development of electric cars)," he pointed out.
Maritime Affairs Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan had earlier revealed that the government will collaborate with South Korea to manufacture lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. The minister had discussed the plan with South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Taiyoung Cho.
South Korea is one of the leading countries to have produced lithium-ion batteries. Although Indonesia has abundant raw materials to produce lithium-ion batteries, the country still imports the products from abroad.
"Hence, we are seeking to forge greater partnerships (to producing lithium-ion batteries). We have abundant raw materials, and we should consider halting the import of lithium-ion batteries," Panjaitan noted.
Yenni Andayani, the director of Pertamina Gas, stated that the company is seeking to promote the use of some alternative forms of energy in the transportation sector. In the past, Pertamina had promoted the use of gas and liquid petroleum gas among the public.
On a similar occasion, Go Tejima, the project manager of Toyota Motor, explained that the automotive industry had currently developed and was marketing electric cars in the United States and European countries.
However, before manufacturing and promoting electric cars in Indonesia, the government needs to prepare the necessary infrastructure and regulations, Tejima reiterated.
In this case, President Jokowi has encouraged further research. He has suggested that every research product should be followed up, so that it can make a foray in the industry despite it not being an easy task, either in terms of emissions or other specifications.
"However, the important aspect is the ability of these products to compete with others that have long been in the market. These will be followed up in order to enter the industry," he stated.
On the occasion, several products from ITS' Center for Automotive System and Automotive Control System on display include an Ezzy II electric car, a Lowo Ireng supercar, two units of Gesits electric motor, and a solar- and electric-powered bus.
Jokowi had conducted a test drive of the Ezzy II electric car during the inauguration of the Sumo Toll road on Tuesday. The Ezzy II electric car is a second generation of Ezzy I that was first developed in 2013. This car has better specifications than its previous generation. The Ezzy II electric car uses a battery power of 20 kilowatt-hour, with a capability of traveling 130 kilometers if the battery is fully charged.***3***
(A014/INE/o001)EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/O. Tamindael) 20-12-2017 13:35: |
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