Frugal Electric and Hybrid Car Showdown: J5 EV vs Rocky e-Smart Hybrid

JAKARTA — When looking for a new car with a budget of Rp 200 million to Rp 300 million, there are now options for electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrids. In this article, I will compare the savings between the EV represented by the Jaecoo J5 EV and the hybrid, the Daihatsu Rocky e-Smart Hybrid. Which is more economical in terms of electricity consumption and BBM (fuel) consumption? The savings calculation uses an annual usage assumption of 20,000 km. The electricity and fuel consumption figures for the two cars come from tests that have already been carried out. If using a charging tariff at SPKLU of Rp 2,466 per kWh, the annual electricity cost for the J5 EV is around Rp 5.62 million. It could be even more economical if charged at home, taking advantage of PLN discounts when charging overnight. Meanwhile, the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid recorded real-world fuel consumption of 24.6 km per litre. With the same annual distance, the car would require around 813 litres of petrol. From this simulation, the energy cost of the Jaecoo J5 EV is only about half of the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid for the same distance. The difference is about Rp 4.3 million per year, not including additional advantages of electric vehicles such as lower taxes and exemption from odd-even in Jakarta. Nevertheless, the Rocky e-Smart Hybrid still offers high efficiency without dependence on charging infrastructure. In terms of energy cost, the J5 EV is more economical, but in terms of long-distance flexibility, the Rocky remains a rational choice for users with high mobility across cities.