Indonesia Strengthens Transport Independence with National Electric Motorcycle

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and CEO of Danantara, Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, stated that Indonesia is strengthening its independence in the transportation sector through the launch of the National Electric Motorcycle (Molinas).

“Molinas is a collaboration and synergy between the government, state-owned enterprises, and national companies in order to enhance our self-reliance,” Rosan said during the launch and inauguration of Molinas and its supporting ecosystem in Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java, on Thursday.

Rosan stated that Indonesia possesses all the necessary components to manufacture a national electric motorcycle. For the battery, he noted, Indonesia uses a nickel-based battery, as 46 percent of the world’s nickel reserves are located in the country. Furthermore, he added, Indonesia also has the technology and capability to develop the national electric motorcycle.

“So that this creation by the nation’s children can develop. This Molinas can be affordable and of high quality, especially since we can carry out the downstream processing of this nickel into batteries, so it can be used in the production of Molinas going forward,” Rosan said.

Rosan stated that the launch of Molinas aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive, which emphasises that Indonesia must be self-sufficient and stand on its own feet for every economic activity. “This event is very important and very strategic, because it is in accordance with the President’s directive that we must be self-sufficient,” Rosan said.

President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated the domestically produced Molinas and its supporting ecosystem at the production facility of PT Ilectra Motor Group (ALVA) in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, on Thursday. In his remarks, President Prabowo praised the courage of private business actors, especially those willing to take the risk of producing electric motorcycles amidst competition from Chinese, Japanese, or South Korean electric motorcycles. The President views the entrepreneurs’ move as part of a joint effort to build Indonesia, which he often refers to as Indonesia Incorporated. According to Prabowo, the entrepreneurs’ courage in producing electric motorcycles is part of the national interest, particularly in reducing dependence on imported fuel oil.