ULM uses its own electric car on campus

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) Banjarmasin now uses electric car of its owned production for campus operations.

The electric motor-driven vehicle uses energy stored in 6 pairs of 8 Volt or 165Ah batteries, capable of traveling at a maximum speed of 25 km per hour.

"The first unit of this electric car is placed in the rectorate. The target is for each faculty to have this car," said Reynaldi Perdana as the ULM Non-Technical Wasaka Team Manager in Banjarbaru, Sunday.

Wasaka Team is the creator of this environmentally friendly car. The team consists of 16 students of the Faculty of Engineering coming from a number of study programs, namely Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Mining Engineering.

Aldi said, the concept of the car with a capacity of 6 passengers was the idea since 2015. After going through various researches and trials, finally in June 2019 it began assembly until completed by mid-August 2019.

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"The advantage of this electric car it is also powered by a 200WP solar cell. So it recharge automatically by getting electricity from sunlight," explained the student in the fifth semester of the Mechanical Engineering.

Making a car that has a relaxed shape resembling a car used on the golf course costs Rp110 million. It has United States production battery with a 48 V DC motor 3.3 KW/250 A, so it has superior traction performance, low noise, overload capacity to a long life.

ULM Rector Prof. Dr. H. Sutarto Hadi appreciated the achievements of students in making yellow cars similar to the alma mater of the largest and best state university in Kalimantan.

"The trend now is indeed an electric car, so we provide full support for funding the manufacture. This is the first prototype, but I hope this car continues to be developed into a city car or the like with better speed," he said.

While the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Dr. Dino Patti Djalal who happened to be in ULM also tried out the electric car.

The man, known as an accomplished diplomat with rich experience and is now the Chairperson of the Indonesia Diaspora Global Network Supervisory Board, claimed that the performance of the electric car by Wasaka Team was very impressive.

"Very unexpected to me, I happen to be a commissioner of a car company that also manufactures electric cars, I see this product very innovative and creative. Moreover, it is combined with solar panels that self-off recharching when it is full. The sound is very smooth, I hope this can continue to be developed," he said.

Even Dino challenged ULM electric cars to be brought to Jakarta to enliven the Formula E electric car race event in next year.

"I have already talked with the rector, we will look for chance in cooperation. Maybe this electric car will be transported to Jakarta to take part in activities during the Formula E event," he said.

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South Kalimantan Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Aneka Pristafuddin who also attended the electric car launch was also eager that his staff could use it.

"If in the future this car hopefully to be produced more, of course we also want to have it as a form of support to encourage environmentally friendly vehicles," said Aneka who was present representing South Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General of Police Yazid Fanani.