Energy Crisis Spurs EV and Hybrid Adoption in Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The energy crisis sweeping several countries, including the Philippines, serves as an alarm for Indonesia to strengthen its national energy resilience.

The transportation sector, which remains heavily dependent on petroleum fuels (BBM), is considered one of the most vulnerable points to fluctuations in global energy supply and prices.

This situation underscores the need to accelerate the transformation towards more efficient and sustainable vehicle technologies.

Electrification through electric and hybrid vehicles is increasingly viewed not merely as a trend, but as a strategic necessity to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.

“EV is the strongest solution, as it is entirely independent of fossil fuels, although its effectiveness still depends on the stability and composition of the national electricity supply, which is currently dominated by coal,” said Yannes, when contacted by Kompas.com recently.

“Meanwhile, HEV is the most realistic transitional option, as it can save BBM consumption by around 30-50% without requiring massive charging infrastructure,” Yannes stated.

“In the context of a crisis, spikes in BBM prices actually serve as a catalyst for accelerating adoption. Going forward, demand is likely to be driven first by HEV and PHEV due to price factors and ease of adaptation,” Yannes added.

“Then, followed by EV in major cities alongside infrastructure expansion. However, this acceleration still heavily depends on policy consistency, incentives, and infrastructure investment, as without them, adoption outside Java risks stalling,” he said.

According to Yannes, this crisis momentum should be utilised not only as a short-term response, but as a systematic push towards stronger national energy resilience.