Company Owned By Conglomerate Aburizal Bakrie Is Focusing On Developing Electric Vehicles, Ready To Accept Orders From Transjakarta

JAKARTA - PT Bakrie & Brothers Tbk (BNBR), which has relied heavily on industrialization as its source of growth, has begun to focus on developing the sustainable energy sector as part of the company's efforts to enter a sustainable and environmentally friendly future business.

The company's commitment is also in line with the targets set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"In order to accelerate growth, the company implements a "buy, build, partner" strategy that provides business development options through strategic partnerships with third parties, in addition to independent development options and inorganic business development options," said President Director of PT Bakrie & Brothers Tbk, Anindya Novyan Bakrie, in a virtual press conference in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, June 25.

He said, one proof of the focus on a sustainable future business is pursuing the development of the electric vehicle (EV) industry, especially electric buses, and new renewable energy/EBT projects, as well as exploring several technology-based businesses that are carried out, among others, together with venture capital companies. and private equity, Quantum Venture Fund.

The company since 2018 has collaborated with a Chinese automotive company, BYD Auto, to develop the electric bus industry in Indonesia. The company has jointly agreed on four stages of development and production of electric buses in the future.

The first stage, import and show products. The second stage, market penetration. The third stage is conducting initial commercialization and manufacturing. And the fourth stage, full commercialization.

The Bakrie Autoparts-BYD electric bus is the first electric bus in Indonesia that has passed all the requirements for the homologation process and fulfilled all legal and technical requirements to be tested commercially by Transjakarta. This bus is also the first electric bus that has been commercially tested on the Transjakarta route.

"Other regions are expected to follow suit soon," said CEO of PT Bakrie Autoparts Dino Ryandi, who was also present at the press conference.

As the first order, Bakrie Autoparts will supply 30 units of electric buses, 20 of which are ready to be used by Transjakarta in June 2021.

"The specifications and capacity of the buses used are the same as the buses during the trials, with low decks, and are planned for use on existing Transjakarta routes," Dino explained again.

In the future, the company is ready to provide another 70 units to meet the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government's target of 100 electric buses in 2021. The units to be produced will be in the form of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) which will be assembled by a local assembly company (bodywork).

Currently, Bakrie Autoparts has completed work on an electric bus unit at the body company and is ready to accept orders from Transjakarta.

"We have also collaborated with local charger manufacturers and providers, this is done in order to promote an increase in the Domestic Content Level (TKDN). This charging station manufacturer is also ready for mass production and has complied with applicable electricity regulations," said Dino.

By the end of this year, the company plans to conduct a groundbreaking for the electric vehicle facility on an area of 5 hectares in Bakauheni, Lampung. The construction of this assembly line facility is planned to last for 6 months with an investment value of around 50 million US dollars.

The amount of working capital prepared for the development of this electric bus project is around 30 million US dollars.