Long-Distance Eid Mudik with an Electric Car That Won’t Stall

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Eid al-Fitr homecoming with electric vehicles is no longer unusual. The population of EVs is rising, as is the supporting infrastructure such as Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU). However, long-distance travel with electric vehicles still requires thorough planning, especially regarding charging.

Lung Lung, owner of the Dokter Mobil specialist workshop in Jakarta, says homecoming travellers must pay close attention to the locations of SPKLU along the journey.

According to him, electric vehicle drivers cannot rely on a single charging point alone. There should be backup options if conditions on the ground do not go as planned.

“So you must find the right SPKLU and also ensure that the range is still reasonable to reach that SPKLU,” he said.

Iqbal Taufiqurrahman, Product Planning and Strategy at GAC Indonesia, echoed the sentiment. He emphasised that route planning is a crucial factor when undertaking long journeys in an electric vehicle.

“Users can utilise apps such as PLN Mobile, Google Maps, and similar platforms to map SPKLU locations along the route,” said Iqbal.

In practice, real-world range typically sits around 5–10 percent below official claims. The delta can widen if road conditions are not ideal, such as frequent congestion, many ascents, or inefficient driving styles.

Therefore, drivers are advised to always build in a safety margin when planning their route. Do not wait until the battery level is too low before charging. Ideally, charging should be planned when the battery capacity is still around 20–30 percent. This step is important to avoid the risk of long queues or SPKLU stations being unavailable when needed.

With well-planned routes and proper battery management, Eid al-Fitr homecoming by electric vehicle can still be safe and comfortable.