Transjakarta Lirik Retrofitting Solar Bus Becomes Electricity, Saves 40 Percent More Than New Buses

JAKARTA - President Director of PT Transjakarta Welfizon Yuza said that his party plans to turn the diesel-fueled Transpakarta buses into electric buses.

This is done to achieve the target of 100 percent operation of Transjakarta buses into electric power by 2030.

Currently, Transjakarta is still studying the business model offered by a number of companies that provide retrofitting services.

"We are trying to explore several parties. The term is retrofitting. So, diesel, chassis, and caroseri can still be used, the engine was replaced, which used diesel, it was replaced with batteries," Welfizon told reporters, Friday, August 18.

The replacement of fuel on this old Transjakarta bus, according to Welfizon, could save 40 percent of the budget than buying a new electric bus.

"Experiencing in several countries, this is one of the initiatives that can accelerate electrification at a relatively low cost of investment than we must fully replace the fleet with electric vehicles," he said.

The plan is for Transjakarta to start retrofitting their buses in 2024. Changing the engine from the previous diesel fuel to electricity starts with big buses.

"Next year we plan to start the retrofitting program. In 2024 the retrofit for vehicles measuring 12 meters, large buses with a large population. Retrofitting can be economical if the bus population is 100. Then in 2025 it starts for medium vehicles," explained Welfizon.

In this regard, Transjakarta will also ask the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to allow electric buses that experience backstouring to reset the operational permit period from the start.

"Transjakarta hopes to be reset to 0 again. Our regional regulation limits 10 years (the age of the bus to operate). If for example there is a bus in the seventh year, it continues to be retrofited, we hope that from 0 again, so it can be used for the next 10 years," he added.