Indonesia to only sell electric motorcycles and vehicles by 2050

The country is seeking to increase the processing of nickel laterite ore which is used in lithium batteries

In a bid to reduce carbon emission levels, the Energy Minister of Indonesia, Arifin Tasrif has announced that the nation is planning to only sell electric vehicles and motorcycles by 2050 and will seek to replace all vehicles that are powered by combustion engines over time.

Arifin mentioned that motorcycles that will be sold in Indonesia from 2040 will be completely electric, while cars that are sold from 2050 will be electric as well.

Sources cite that in the last decade, the country has witnessed a sale of approximately 6.5 million motorcycles annually and nearly 1 million four-wheelers.

According to Dadan Kusdiana, Energy Ministry’s Director General of Renewables, Indonesia yet does not have a policy to halt the usage of internal combustion engines. The government is however, offering several incentives to encourage the use of electric cars across the region.  

A report by the Automotive Industries Association of Indonesia indicated that over 15 million vehicles and 112 million motorcycles were on the road in the year 2019.

The fourth-most populous country in the world has witnessed choking air pollution in urban regions, with Jakarta, the capital constantly ranking as one of the most polluted cities.

It is worth noting that the shift towards electric vehicles also supports Indonesia’s aim of emerging as a leading production hub, as the nation is accelerating the processing of its rich supplies of nickel laterite ore which is used in lithium batteries.

Reportedly, Gojek- an Indonesian ride-hailing company, announced in April’21 that the entity will be producing each car and motorcycle as an electric vehicle in 2030. Seemingly, Jakarta has also declared its target of making the nation carbon-neutral, including the plan to shut all the coal-powered plants through 2056.

Source Credit: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/news/indonesia-aims-to-sell-only-electric-powered-cars-motorbikes-by-2050/articleshow/83508358.cms