Electric vehicles could improve air quality in Jakarta and other cities, but they are only as eco-friendly as the electricity they consume.
o:p>A lukewarm welcoming sun unfolded a section of Jl. Jenderal Sudirman at the Senayan traffic circle in South Jakarta, where hundreds of electric vehicles of different types and colors lined up in the middle of the road on Sunday afternoon in an event aimed at promoting electro mobility amid persistent poor air quality in the capital city.
Dozens of enthusiasts from various communities and companies participated in the so-called Karnaval Jakarta Langit Biru (Blue Sky Parade) to campaign for the use of vehicles that run on electricity rather than fossil fuels and that could in theory be more environmentally friendly, depending on the source of the electricity.
Four hundred and fourteen electric vehicles, including electric buses, cars, taxis, motorcycles, e-bicycles, electric bajaj (three-wheeled taxis), golf carts and electric scooters were on the road to enliven the convoy.
“We are all aware of the many challenges we have been facing regarding air quality in the city. It is time to start pushing the use of vehicles that are emission-free, including bicycles and electric vehicles,” said Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan in his opening remarks.
Jakarta’s air quality has caught the public attention this year following the finding of unhealthy levels of air quality across the city, which several times shamed Jakarta as the most-polluted city in the world.
The air pollution has prompted members of the public grouped under the IBUKOTA (capital city) movement to file a lawsuit against the central government and the provincial administrations of Jakarta, Banten and West Java in July for allegedly not doing enough to tackle the air pollution choking residents.
Through the event, the city administration has made a commitment to support the use of electric vehicles by providing supporting facilities, such as dedicated parking lots and charging stations.
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