Minister AHY Pushes for Electric Trucks to Address Air Pollution

Jakarta, Indonesianpost.com – Reported by Antara, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, commonly known as AHY, discussed the government’s ongoing efforts to promote vehicle electrification, including the development of electric trucks, as a strategy to reduce air pollution.

Speaking at the Clean Air Forum in Jakarta on Wednesday, AHY highlighted the significant progress made in electrifying vehicles, especially in Jakarta, where electric motorbikes, cars, and Transjakarta buses are becoming increasingly common.

“We’ve seen great progress with two-wheeled vehicles, cars, and buses in Jakarta. Currently, Transjakarta operates 300 electric buses,” he said.

However, AHY acknowledged that converting freight trucks from diesel to electric is still a costly challenge.

He also addressed the ongoing issue of over-dimensioned over-loaded (ODOL) trucks, which have long been a concern for road safety and infrastructure.

Read Also: Indonesia Allows Live Cattle Imports from Australia and Brazil Amid Growing Demand

“The government is actively working to eliminate the ODOL practice, which not only poses safety risks but also causes significant road damage,” AHY explained. “The primary danger with ODOL trucks is their contribution to traffic accidents, and they also severely damage our roads.”

He noted that the government spends Rp41 trillion annually on road repairs, a substantial portion of which could be redirected if the ODOL practice were eliminated.

“If we can allocate funds to repair roads, we should be able to invest in vehicle electrification or strictly enforce existing rules to prevent ODOL trucks,” he emphasized.

At the forum, Systemiq, in partnership with the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and a range of stakeholders including government officials, think tanks, civil society groups, NGOs, and industry representatives, released a series of key findings on Jakarta’s air quality.

According to the 2023 emissions inventory, transportation is the largest source of air pollution in Jakarta, contributing 65 percent of NOX emissions, 90 percent of CO emissions, and 61 percent of PM2.5 emissions. Other significant contributors include industry, power plants, waste burning, and construction. (BL)