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Govt admits few people taking up electric motorbike subsidy
The lack of interest in the electric motorbike subsidy stems from both people’s reliance on fossil-fueled engines and their unfamiliarity with battery-powered engines, according to Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita.
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Shift gear: a woman rides a yellow Migo electric bike in this file photo dated Feb. 13, 2019. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)
O
nly a few people are willing to take advantage of the government subsidy on electric-two-wheelers, the Industry Ministry admits, blaming the slow uptake on difficulties in changing people’s mindset to shift away from combustion-based vehicles.
Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said many people were still unfamiliar with electric vehicles (EVs), which rely on batteries instead of fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel.
"[The transition] is not easy because you have to change the mindset, change the culture of people who usually use fossil-fuel based [motors] to change to electric [motors],” said Agus on Monday as quoted by Kompas.com.
The slow shift, he noted, was not only happening in Indonesia but also in developed countries that were experiencing significant advancements in EVs.
“It takes time," Agus continued.
Read also: Only fraction of RI motorbike fleet seen to be electric by 2030
The government would provide the subsidy for the purchase of 200,000 new electric motorbikes and the conversion of 50,000 conventional two-wheelers to electric ones until the end of the year.
