BRIN pushes for standardisation of plugs and sockets for electric vehicles
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Head of the Electrical Technology Research Centre at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Eka Rahman Priandana, is pushing for the standardisation of plugs and sockets to accelerate the adoption of two-wheeled electric vehicles in Indonesia.
In a statement in Jakarta on Friday, Eka explained that one of the main barriers to the adoption of electric vehicles, both globally and nationally, is the limited charging infrastructure, high battery costs, and users’ concerns about driving range (range anxiety).
“In Indonesia, these challenges are compounded by the limited investment in battery swapping infrastructure and fast charging,” he said.
He highlighted that the currently developing battery swapping business model faces various obstacles, from high investment needs to profit-sharing schemes with electricity providers.
On the other hand, technology trends show a shift towards two-wheeled electric vehicles with built-in large-capacity batteries (long range), which require reliable fast charging infrastructure support.
“Interoperability is key. Without uniform plug and socket standards, the charging ecosystem will not develop optimally,” said Eka.
This standardisation, he continued, is expected to provide various strategic benefits, including improving compatibility between devices, encouraging investment in public electric vehicle charging stations (SPKLU), and strengthening the domestic component level (TKDN).
“Additionally, this approach also allows vehicle manufacturers to innovate without having to standardise battery designs,” he stated.
BRIN, according to Eka, has also developed a prototype two-wheeled fast charging station, namely SONIK R2, with a charging capacity of up to 6.6 kW. This technology can significantly reduce charging time, even to 20 minutes for LiFePO4-based batteries.
In its implementation, this charging system utilises an electric vehicle charge controller (EVCC) to bridge various battery communication protocols from different manufacturers, thus still ensuring interoperability.