While the government is pressing the pedal to the metal to make Indonesia one of the world’s electric vehicle (EV) hubs, early adopters in the archipelago are having a bumpy ride amid patchy charging facilities and doubts over the technology’s sustainability in a coal-dependent country.

Arwani Hidayat has had a great time driving an EV around Jakarta for the past two years, but the ride becomes less smooth once he leaves the capital.

“It has become increasingly easy to find charging stations in the Greater Jakarta area. Driving to other provinces, on the other hand, is still a little bit more challenging,” Arwani, who has been driving an EV since 2021, told The Jakarta Post.

Arwani, who works as a special staff member at the House of Representatives, once put the car to test by driving 1,113 kilometers to Bali. He said the ride was made possible only by staying overnight at three different cities.

As one of the largest economies in Southeast Asia and a major carbon emitter, Indonesia has been at the center of global efforts to reduce emissions. The 2021 Climate Transparency Report recorded that fuel combustion is the largest driver of the country’s overall CO2 emissions, which comes from electricity (35 percent), industries (27 percent) and transportation (27 percent).

The World Economic Forum has said that focused progress on the electrification of mobility is a logical next step for Indonesia’s energy transition. Following in the footsteps of countries such as China, Vietnam, Thailand and India, Indonesia is recommended to push greater EV adoption, especially in the two-wheeler segment.

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