Lorry Operators Call for Subsidies for Electric Lorries

Jakarta — Truck operators support the government’s drive to promote the use of environmentally friendly vehicles for transport, including in the logistics sector. However, industry players hope for concrete support in the form of incentives and fiscal policies so that the use of electric lorries can be more realistically implemented on the ground. “We are actually just hoping for government attention to electric vehicle policy,” said Gemilang, who was met in Jakarta on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. He said the high upfront investment costs are the main challenge for freight companies to switch to electric vehicles. Moreover, the logistics industry is currently facing pressure on operating costs, ranging from rising prices of spare parts, toll tariffs, to distribution efficiency. “In other words, at the current costs, it would be impossible for us to renew with electric lorries,” he said. Gemilang noted that without government support, operators would struggle to refresh their fleets with electric lorries in the near future. “But if there is a government policy for lorries to use electricity and to stop consuming subsidised fuel, there must be a coherent policy to enable fiscal incentives for the electric trucks,” he said. Besides reducing dependence on subsidised fuel, the use of electric lorries is also seen as helping to reduce carbon emissions from the logistics transport sector, which has long been a substantial source of emissions.