Ministry launches locally developed electric bus

My electric baby bus: An officer prepares an electric bus developed by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) before its launch at the Assessment and Application of Technology Agency (BPPT) in Jakarta on Tuesday. The electric bus launch is part of the 17th anniversary of the Awakening Day for National Technology. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)

Demonstrating its commitment to the development of green technology, the Research and Technology Ministry launched an electric bus prototype on Tuesday, which is claimed to be efficient and environmentally friendly as it works without using fuel and machine lubricant oil.

Research and Technology Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said on Tuesday that the government was presently promoting the development of electric cars with well-known benefits including being energy efficient, environmentally friendly, producers of low emission and having low operational costs.

“Within the research and technology communities, we have continued to pursue the development of electric cars, although at the first stage, we can produce a limited number of each design based on order only in particular for government official vehicles,” he said during the launch of the national electric bus at the Assessment and Application of Technology Agency (BPPT) office on Tuesday.

“I hope this can display support for the number of accomplishments our scientists and engineers have achieved in developing electric cars since 1995.”

The launch marked the opening of the 17^th National Technology Awakening Day (Hakteknas) Information Center.

Researchers from the Indonesian Academy of Sciences’ (LIPI) Mechatronics and Electric Power Research Center came out with a prototype that could carry 17 passengers with a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

A fully charged 500-Ampere LifeP04 lithium battery can power the bus for a distance of some 150 kilometers. Using the battery, researchers claim the bus will reduce operational costs by some 50 percent and maintenance costs by some 70 percent.

The fact that the battery is still imported, however, will place a heavier burden on manufacturing costs once the bus is mass-produced. Each electric bus costs some Rp 1.2 billion (US$127,200).

“The national electric bus is ready to use on roads but is not yet ready for wide commercialization as we need more investment for mass production,” said Abdul Hafid, a transportation researcher with LIPI.

The 17^th Hakteknas, themed “Innovation for the Nation’s Independency”, will take place in Bandung, West Java, on Aug. 8-11. During the celebration, various events will take place including the 2012 Ritech Expo at Sasana Budaya Ganesha, the Triple Helix Conference at the Grand Royal Panghegar Hotel, and the research and technology carnival. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will attend the official celebration of the 17^th Hakteknas held at Merdeka Building.

The Hakteknas falls on Aug. 10 to commemorate the first flight of the Indonesian made N250 twin turboprop commuter aircraft in Bandung in 1996. (nvn)