Jakarta (ANTARA) - Electric buses are expected to improve the quality of polluted air because of the elimination of motor vehicle emissions, the head of Inter-City Public Transportation Sub-Directorate of the Transportation Ministry, Handa Lesmana, stated.
"It is hoped that if there are many electric buses, the air quality will improve," Lesmana said during a webinar here on Wednesday.
Air pollution poses a serious threat to society, especially in urban areas with a high density of motor vehicles, he said.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Lesmana noted, the large number of vehicles not being used proved to have an effect on improving air quality.
Therefore, the Indonesian government encourages electric-based public transportation to realize its zero-carbon emission goal by 2060, he added.
Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo previously said that vehicles must become environmentally friendly.
However, there are still many challenges in popularizing electric vehicles in Indonesia, such as increasing the existence of charging stations, Lesmana pointed out.
"The constraints of electric buses are still the battery technology, which is risky for long trips," he said.
Lesmana said that the government has created regulations to support the use of electric buses so that it can execute policies that support the use of environmentally-friendly vehicles. Existing regulations can be adjusted to the latest technological advances, he added.
"The important thing is to maintain safety, even though there are changes in regulations, they must be in line with safety," he said.
Furthermore, Lesmana added, the government has a target of implementing electricity-based urban mass transit, where at least 90 percent of mass transportation in 34 provinces will be based on electricity by 2030.
The government has a program for electricity-based tourism transportation, which will be realized in 2025, that cover Lake Toba, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Lesung, Tana Toraja, Borobudur Temple, Mandalika, Mount Bromo, Wakatobi, Labuan Bajo, Morotai and Likupang, he said.
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