Ahead of 1 July 2026 Implementation, B50 Testing on Diesel Vehicles Proceeds Without Issues
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG REGENCY – The Director General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Eniya Listiani Dewi, stated that road testing of 50% biodiesel (B50) on diesel vehicles has shown safe results. The target for national implementation of B50 is 1 July 2026.
The government is accelerating the adoption of B50 in response to global energy price pressures while strengthening national energy resilience. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is continuing testing across various sectors, with the automotive sector as the primary focus.
“Early 2025, we conducted laboratory technical testing, completed by mid-year. Then, simultaneous testing was kicked off in six sectors starting from 9 December 2025,” said Eniya in Lembang, quoted on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
She explained that the testing covers the automotive, maritime transport, agricultural equipment, heavy mining equipment, railway, and power generation sectors. The automotive sector is being tested intensively through road trials with various vehicle types and operational conditions.
The testing is conducted in stages to ensure technical standards remain in line with manufacturer recommendations. Each vehicle undergoes a comprehensive evaluation after reaching the target mileage. “For vehicles under 3.5 tonnes, the target is 50,000 kilometres by May. After that, engine checks are carried out. Meanwhile, vehicles over 3.5 tonnes have completed 40,000 kilometres of testing,” said Eniya.
As of April 2026, interim results indicate that the use of B50 on diesel vehicles is in a safe condition without significant issues. Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes have completed 40,000 kilometres of testing, while vehicles under 3.5 tonnes have reached around 40,000 kilometres out of the 50,000-kilometre target.
The Indonesian Automotive Industry Association (Gaikindo) has welcomed the results positively. The industry views the consistency of the test results as a key factor in ensuring readiness for market implementation. “If the final results are consistent like this, we are optimistic that B50 implementation will go well. We hope the specifications of the test fuel become the national benchmark,” said Gaikindo member Abdul Rochim in Jakarta.
The testing also shows that the quality of B100 as the main component of the B50 mixture has met the tightened technical specifications. Parameters for water content, monoglycerides, and oxidation stability indicate improvements.
In terms of performance, vehicles have not experienced any decline in performance. Fuel consumption remains within the manufacturer standard range, while emission test results are below the set threshold. Evaluation of the engine, lubricants, and fuel system shows all components remain in good condition during the testing.