Prabowo Promises Low-Interest, Zero-Down-Payment Credit Scheme for Electric Motorcycles

President Prabowo Subianto has promised a low-interest credit scheme accompanied by assistance without a down payment (DP) to support the purchase of national electric motorcycles (MoLiNas) produced on a mass scale by domestic businesses.

At the launch of MoLiNas in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, on Thursday, President Prabowo instructed Danantara to support the national electric motorcycle programme, one of which is by preparing a light credit scheme so that the public is moved to buy the national electric motorcycle.

“Danantara, support with what you can support. Earlier, we discussed—the Finance Minister will not be too pleased, but in the end you will also be pleased. We will lower the instalment interest for the people. Then, we will try not to use a down payment,” said President Prabowo.

The President continued that the expenditure that can be saved from using electric motorcycles reaches at least 50 percent, even up to 70 percent, when compared with fuel-powered motorcycles. “Later perhaps, because this is already a world need. So, there is something called a carbon tax in big cities like Beijing, petrol motorcycles cannot enter. So this is just a warning for those who are still stubborn, infatuated with petrol motorcycles,” said the President.

Therefore, not only a light loan scheme, President Prabowo also promised to prepare a purchase mechanism with a trade-in system. “So, later we will think about how we can do a trade-in, you hand over your old motorcycle and get a new one, well, add a little,” said Prabowo.

At the electric motorcycle production facility owned by Indika Energy in Cikarang, President Prabowo praised the company’s courage in producing 20,000 electric motorcycles amid risks and tight business competition with major competitors from China, Japan, and South Korea. The President then challenged the company to increase its production scale to 200,000 units, even 2 million units.

Prabowo believes the national electric motorcycle is part of the national interest, especially in realising energy independence and reducing dependence on imported fuel. Each year, the President said, the dollars leaving Indonesia to import fuel from abroad can reach 28 billion dollars to 30 billion dollars.

“We are determined to reduce this. With diesel, now there is B50, we have already reduced it. In fact, we should no longer import diesel from abroad, but we still depend on some energy from outside. We will soon replace LPG with CNG, and we will also build 100 gigawatts of solar power plants,” said the President.