Prabowo Wants All Vehicles in Indonesia to Be Electric-Powered

President Prabowo Subianto has stated that various modes of transport in Indonesia will in future switch to electric power, in line with government efforts to build a green and renewable energy system.

“We will build green energy, renewable energy. Never mind trains — in time, nearly all of our vehicles will run on electricity: our trucks, our buses, our cars, our motorcycles,” Prabowo said in his address at the inauguration of the first-phase renovation of the culturally protected Semarang Tawang Station building in Semarang, Central Java, on Thursday, 30 July 2026.

Prabowo said the development of electric-based transport forms part of the direction of national energy development, which prioritises green and renewable energy.

On the same occasion, the President also affirmed that railways are an important element in supporting the tourism sector.

He assessed that the revitalisation of hundreds of railway stations carried out by PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) could become a tourist attraction as well as part of national transformation.

“KAI’s effort to revitalise hundreds of stations is very important; do not regard it as trivial. It can become an attraction,” the President said.

Prabowo said the preservation of historic stations could draw domestic and foreign tourists interested in historical and cultural tourism.

According to him, station preservation is also part of efforts to safeguard history whilst carrying out improvements across various fields.

“Preserve all the stations — this is also part of preserving history. But more importantly, it is part of our endeavour as a nation to carry out transformation in every field,” Prabowo said.

The President also asked that improvements to facilities in station areas be carried out with attention to cleanliness, tidiness and the aesthetics of the surroundings.

“We change the impression. Indonesia must indeed be preserved, must be beautiful, must be lush. There must be no litter strewn about, no buildings left unkempt,” he said.

The President believes that improving transport infrastructure and preserving historic buildings can strengthen the appeal of tourism in various regions.

Station revitalisation, the President said, is expected to help support national transformation through the development of better and well-maintained public facilities. (Ant)