TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia has launched a domestically produced electric motorcycle, known as the National Electric Motorcycle (Molinas), as the government seeks to expand local manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported components and fuel.
Investment and Downstreaming Minister and Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Chairperson Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, who also serves as CEO of Danantara, said Molinas was developed through cooperation between the government, state-owned enterprises and Indonesian companies.
“Molinas is a collaboration, a synergy between the government, state-owned enterprises, and national companies aimed at increasing the role of our self-reliance,” Rosan said at the launch of Molinas and its supporting ecosystem in Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java, on Thursday.
Rosan said Indonesia has the resources, technology and capabilities needed to produce electric motorcycles domestically.
He said Molinas uses nickel-based batteries, noting that Indonesia holds 46 percent of the world’s nickel reserves. The use of locally processed nickel, he added, could support domestic battery production for future Molinas models.
“This is a product created by Indonesians that can continue to grow. Molinas can be affordable and high-quality, especially as we can downstream our nickel into batteries that can be used in Molinas production in the future,” Rosan said.
Prabowo Highlights Domestic Industry Push
President Prabowo Subianto officially launched Molinas and its supporting ecosystem at the production facility of PT Ilectra Motor Group (ALVA) in Cikarang on Thursday.
Prabowo said the development of domestically produced electric motorcycles was part of efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s industrial capabilities.
He also praised private companies for investing in electric motorcycle production despite competition from manufacturers from China, Japan and South Korea.
Prabowo said domestic electric motorcycle production could also help reduce Indonesia’s dependence on imported fuel.
The launch comes as the government continues to promote downstream processing and domestic manufacturing as part of its efforts to increase the use of Indonesian resources and strengthen local industries.
