PO Sinar Jaya Resists Hype Around Electric Buses

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The trend for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Indonesia is beginning to spread to the mass transit sector. On intercity bus routes across Java, several operators or bus companies (POs) have shown interest in trialling zero-emission vehicles.

Despite some competitors in Central Java moving ahead with electric bus operations, PO Sinar Jaya, a major player in Indonesia’s land transport sector, has opted not to rush into the trend.

PO Sinar Jaya founder Rasidin Karyana acknowledged he is closely monitoring other operators exploring green technology. “I’ve seen some operating them, like Sumber Alam. And I’ve heard of another PO in Central Java called Efisiensi,” Rasidin said in Jakarta recently.

The main concern isn’t the buses themselves but the supporting ecosystem along the routes. “The issue with electric buses is infrastructure, particularly charging stations,” Rasidin said.

He noted that the scarcity of dedicated charging stations for large vehicles on Trans-Java routes could severely disrupt bus schedules. He fears fleet congestion during charging periods.

“But with diesel, it’s still easier, in my view,” Rasidin said.

Despite caution, Sinar Jaya has not ruled out adopting the technology entirely. The company is adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach to assess national regulatory readiness and infrastructure development.

‘It means Sinar Jaya might join eventually, but we’ll see first,’ he said.