Indonesia needs to develop an electric vehicle or battery-electric vehicle (BEV) to reduce the use of fossil fuels. It also aims to maintain national energy security and environmentally friendly energy conservation.

It was said by a researcher from the Center for Public Policy and Public Management of SBM ITB, Agung Wicaksono. With the increase in the number of vehicles, the need for fuel will also increase. BPJS (Health Social Security Administering Agency) noted that, for motorcycles alone, the number always increases by 8 percent every year. Thus, the presence of environmentally-friendly electric vehicles is needed.

The government has accepted this challenge by constructing a battery factory infrastructure to support the Indonesian electric vehicle industry in Karawang, West Java. This downstream electric vehicle industry with a total budget of IDR 15.6 trillion is expected to be the initial milestone for the downstream industry to develop electric vehicles in Indonesia.

In the opening speech for the groundbreaking of the factory, Wednesday (15/9/2021). President Joko Widodo emphasized that Indonesia must change its economic structure, from commodity-based to a downstream industry. He said that Indonesia has enormous nickel potential. It is believed that Indonesia will become a major producer of nickel-based products such as electric batteries, lithium batteries, and electric vehicles.

This downstream infrastructure development is supported by a researcher from the Center for Public Policy and Public Management of SBM ITB. “Sufficient infrastructure will support the creation of domestic demand for electric vehicles,” Agung said when met separately.

Apart from infrastructure, Agung also emphasized the importance of education or information regarding the advantages of using electric-based vehicles over conventional vehicles using fossil fuels. “The government also needs to massively inform about incentives for using battery-based electric vehicles to attract people to switch from oil-fueled vehicles to electric vehicles,” Agung added.

Furthermore, the Center of Policy and Public Management of SBM ITB also advises the government regarding the development of electric cars in Indonesia, namely, establishing regulations and policies related to accelerating the development of electric and fuel cars, providing incentives and facilities in research and development of electric cars. The government also needs to coordinate and collaborate with several ministries and stakeholders to support this program.

LAILY RACHEV - BIRO PERS SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN
LAILY RACHEV – BIRO PERS SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN
Written by Student Reporter (Deo Fernando, Entrepreneurship 2021)