Electric Cars And Motorcycles Become Government And BUMN Official Vehicles, PLN Prepares Systems To Large Discounts

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - PT PLN (Persero) will provide reliable electricity supply and also optimize the electric vehicle infrastructure in supporting the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) who makes electric vehicles an official government vehicle.

This is in accordance with Presidential Instruction Number 7 of 2022 concerning the Use of Battery-Battery Electric Vehicles (Battery Electric Vehicle) as a Vehicle for the Operational and/or Individual Service Vehicles of the Central Government Agencies and Regional Governments signed by the President on September 13, 2022. This acceleration effort was also carried out as an effort to suppress imports of fuel oil (BBM).

PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo explained, currently PLN has prepared supporting infrastructure and services to answer the needs of electric vehicle users.

"The direction of the President is to change from import energy to domestic, from expensive energy to cheap energy, and energy with high carbon emissions to low carbon emission energy. For that, we at PLN are ready to support the President's direction regarding the use of electric vehicles as government official vehicles," Dharmawan said in a statement to the media, Thursday, September 15.

Previously on Monday, September 12, the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Erick Thohir had also issued directives to accelerate the use of electric vehicles in all state-owned companies.

To carry out these directives, Darmawan ensures that the PLN electricity system is ready and reliable to meet the needs of electric vehicles. To facilitate the charging of electric vehicles, PLN also prepares home charging support services and charging installations for electric vehicles at customers' homes.

PLN has collaborated with electric vehicle manufacturers and Brand Holder Single Agents (ATPM) in providing home charging services to make it easier for electric vehicle owners.

"We also provide a discount on charging of 30 percent from 22.00 WIB to 05.00 WIB. Because actually charging electric vehicles will be mostly done at home, just like we charge cellphones or laptops," said Darmawan.

Users of electric vehicles also do not need to worry when traveling, because PLN has also presented Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU), which so far have 150 units of PLN SPKLU available in 117 locations spread throughout Indonesia.

"The plan to add until the end of 2022 will rebuild a total of 110 SPKLU units to support national roadmaps throughout Indonesia, including in supporting the activities of the G20 Summit in Bali," he said.

In addition, PLN has also provided Public Electric Vehicle Battery Distribution Stations (SPBKLU). Currently there are 5 units installed in Jakarta, and 2 units in Surabaya. In 2022, it is planned to build 70 SPBKLU units with a total of around 300 batteries and locations spread across Java and Bali.

He added that to encourage the electric vehicle ecosystem, PLN continues to collaborate with various parties. As an effort to accelerate the availability of electric vehicle battery charging infrastructure, PLN also opens opportunities for business entities to collaborate together in partnerships to provide SPKLU.

"Of course all of this must be collaborative. We continue to communicate with other SOEs, such as Railways, Angkasa Pura, Pelindo, TWC, Jasa Marga, how we will build SPKLU in these strategic locations," said Darmawan.

To be able to accelerate the penetration of electric vehicles in the market, Darmawan also said that PLN has collaborated with the Association of State Banks (Himbara) regarding providing affordable and easy financing for people who want to switch to electric vehicles.

PLN has also launched Electric Vehicle Digital Services (EVDS) which is integrated with PLN Mobile SuperApps to answer the public's needs regarding electric vehicles.

People find it easier to get electricity services, especially for electric vehicles. Want to increase power, install new ones, even buy this electric vehicle can be through EVDS which is integrated with PLN Mobile," he concluded.