Electric Bus Former G20 Summit Abandoned, Evidence Of Incentives For Electric Vehicles Not Right On Target

The electric buses used in the G20 Summit were made by PT INKA in collaboration with the company Karoseri Piala Mas. (Between/HO-Kemenhub)

The Ministry of Transportation since December 2022 has empowered dozens of electric buses that were used at the G20 Bali Summit for urban public transportation in the cities of Surabaya and Bandung.

Trans Semanggi Suroboyo, said Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Transportation Community Region Strengthening and Development Division (MTI) Djoko Setijowarno, has received 25 buses. These buses have started operating since December 18, 2022 serving corridor 3 with the Purabaya-Kenpark route, Surabaya.

Meanwhile, Trans Metro Pasundan received 8 buses that were already operating serving the Leuwipanjang-Dago corridor, Bandung at the same time.

However, according to Djoko, the operation of the electric buses made by PT INKA has the potential to stall because there is no operational budget available.

"Only operating for 14 days. If since January 1, the buses have stopped operating. In fact, when will there be no clarity until now. It is ironic that only to operate 25 electric bus fleets in Surabaya and Bandung, the government does not have a budget," Djoko told VOI on June 25, 2023.

Trans Semanggi Suroboyo and Trans Metro Pasundan are urban bus transportation service systems from the Ministry of Transportation with the name Teman Bus. Using a service purchase scheme. The Ministry of Transportation pays bus operations to operators, namely the Damri Public Company.

In fact, the government during the two fiscal years of 2023 and 2024 has disbursed a total incentive of IDR 12.3 trillion for electric motors, electric cars, and purchases of electric buses through the Ministry of Industry.

Only electric motorcycle incentives, said Djoko, reached IDR 5.6 trillion for 800,000 units. The 2023 budget is IDR 1.4 trillion for 200,000 units and the 2024 budget is IDR 4.2 trillion for 600,000 units.

Then, the incentive for electric cars is IDR 6.5 trillion for 143,449 units. The 2023 budget is IDR 1.6 trillion for 35,862 units and the 2024 budget is IDR 4.9 trillion for 107,587 units.

Another incentive is the purchase of 138 units of electric buses in 2023 amounting to Rp48 billion and the purchase of 414 units in 2024 amounting to Rp144 billion.

"So, there must be good coordination between the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Industry, including the Ministry of Finance," added Djoko.

The Ministry of Finance should be able to divert part of the electricity vehicle incentive budget from the Ministry of Industry to the Ministry of Transportation to avoid stalling.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources also helps to provide electricity infrastructure. Because, apart from the lack of contract renewals between the Ministry of Transportation and Damri, the electric buses stopped operating are also known because they need operational technical improvements.

From the results of the evaluation in Surabaya, it was found that there were obstacles in the availability of battery energy that did not match expectations.

"The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, based on the Presidential Decree/Ratas, is obliged to provide electricity infrastructure," added Djoko.

Electric bus operations as public transportation require large investment, so you need a multi-year contract for investment certainty. As well as for the development of electric bus technology and service improvement.

Indonesia is experiencing a public transportation crisis, so the public transport program should be supported by all government agencies. While there is still time, immediately transfer the budget. There is already a budget, a willingness that does not yet exist. Everyone must prioritize the public interest, not sectoral egos," Djoko emphasized.

Moreover, when referring to the results of the passenger service evaluation survey conducted by PT Surveyor Indonesia on May 1-6 June 2023, the existence of Trans Semanggi Suroboyo and Trans Metro Pasundan is quite effective in encouraging people to switch from private vehicles.

The shift of motorcycle users to Trans Semanggi Suroboyo increased from 58 percent in 2022 to 68.09 percent. Then, the shift in private car users increased from 12 percent in 2022 to 34.3 percent.

Likewise in the city of Bandung, the shift of motorcycle users to Trans Metro Pasundan increased from 63 percent in 2022 to 65 percent. Then, the shift of private car users from 3 percent in 2022 to 28 percent.

"In Bandung and Surabaya, there has been a large enough increase in shifting for 4-wheelers users," said Djoko.

From the results of the survey, it can also be seen that the passengers are very satisfied. Satisfaction is measured from 6 aspects, namely payment system, security and comfort, affordability, operations, accessibility, and safety.

The results of the survey, according to Djoko, should also be a consideration to immediately make a decision so that the electric buses can operate again.

"Don't let President Joko Widodo at the end of his term of office in 2024 leave problems with the stalled electric buses in Bandung and Surabaya," he added.