Electric Motorcycles More Flood-Resistant Than Petrol Bikes: Is This True?

JAKARTA – The reputation of electric motorcycles as being unable to navigate flood waters is slowly changing. Instead, manufacturers claim that electric motorcycles can be more flood-resistant when traversing flood-affected areas compared to conventional petrol-powered motorcycles.

This is related to the characteristics of their drive systems, which do not depend on the combustion process used in conventional engines.

Pius Wirawan, CEO of Indomobil Emotor, stated that during light flooding conditions, electric motorcycles can generally continue operating normally, provided their critical components have adequate protection.

However, this capability still depends on the specifications of each individual vehicle.

Pius explained that one determining factor is the IP (Ingress Protection) certification, which indicates the level of component resistance to dust and water.

“But it depends on the electric motorcycle – whether it actually has IP67 capability or certification for passing through floods,” he said.

As an example, IP67 is a standard indicating that electrical components have high protection from dust and can withstand water immersion up to a certain depth for a limited time.

“With IP67, the water level height also matters. Actually, the maximum is approximately one metre from the affected component. For example, if the battery is on the deck, that means one metre from the battery’s position,” he said.

However, in practical terms, such conditions are already considered extreme.

“Technically speaking, that is correct. But if the water is already 1.3 metres, that is actually very dangerous for riding the motorcycle. There is also a time limit – a maximum of around 30 minutes,” he said.

Pius cautioned that water depth, submersion duration, and road conditions remain important factors that must be considered to maintain riding safety and prevent damage.