European Vehicles Also Begin Testing Indonesia's New B50 Fuel

Lembang, CNBC Indonesia - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has stated that a number of vehicles from European manufacturers are participating in the series of technical trials for 50% biodiesel fuel (B50). This is to ensure the reliability of the plant-based fuel against various international diesel engine technologies circulating in the domestic market before entering the commercial implementation phase. Director General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) of the Ministry of ESDM, Eniya Listiani Dewi, explained that involving non-Japanese brands is one of the important points in the B50 testing. According to her, the participation of European automotive producers shows cross-stakeholder commitment to support the national energy independence target through the biodiesel programme. “Nine units for the automotive sector and this time the manufacturers are not only Japanese, European manufacturers are also joining. Buses and large trucks, yes, UD Truck, that’s Mercedes. So this is Europe also newly joining and different from the previous B40, more vehicles are participating this time,” she stated at the B50 Road Test Fuel Blending and Filling Station, Lembang, quoted on Wednesday (22/4/2026). The European vehicles participating in the road test include heavy vehicle categories such as buses and large trucks with capacities over 3.5 tons. Through these trials, the government aims to prove that B50 specifications can meet standards for vehicles with high workloads and cleaner emission demands. Thus, the government targets the completion of automotive sector testing by June, so that the mandatory B50 programme is ready to be implemented simultaneously across all regions of Indonesia starting 1 July 2026. Besides automotive, testing is also conducted comprehensively in the mining, railway, maritime, and agricultural machinery sectors. “The test results show that B50 has reliable performance, is safe to use, and is compatible with current technology, with no significant issues,” Eniya concluded. In addition, B50 Test Team Chairman Cahyo Setyo Wibowo added that the testing was conducted under standard engine conditions without any special adjustments from the manufacturers. He emphasised that all operational procedures follow the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by each participating vehicle manufacturer to maintain the reliability of the test data. “As mentioned earlier, there are European manufacturers participating with two vehicles, one bus and one large truck. In this testing, we are working together and receiving good support from the engineers and technicians from each participating manufacturer,” Cahyo said on the same occasion. Based on ESDM data, the implementation of the B50 programme targeted from July 2026 is projected to save state foreign exchange up to Rp157.28 trillion. Besides economic aspects, the policy is also expected to add national employment with a target absorption of more than 2.2 million workers. From an environmental perspective, B50 use is targeted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46.72 million tons of CO2 in 2026. As of mid-April 2026, the national biodiesel distribution realisation has reached 3.90 million kilolitres or about 24.9% of the initial annual allocation of 15.65 million kilolitres. Technically, B50 specifications have been improved to maintain engine performance, including limiting water content to a maximum of 300 ppm and monoglyceride to a maximum of 0.47% by mass. Oxidation stability has also been strengthened to a minimum of 900 minutes to ensure fuel quality remains optimal during storage and distribution across various regions. The government targets the completion of all automotive sector trials by June 2026, while other strategic sectors such as heavy equipment and railways will be completed gradually until the end of the year. With preliminary test results showing reliable and safe performance, B50 is ready to strengthen national energy independence.