The Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta through the Department of Transportation will soon operate 100 electric buses to deal with the capital’s worsening air quality due to pollution.
The DKI Jakarta Department of Transportation stated that operating electric buses is an effort to encourage increased use of electric vehicles. Thus, air quality in Jakarta is expected to be more controlled.
“This year, as many as 100 electric buses will be operated by PT Transjakarta as an effort to encourage electrification in public transportation services,” said the Head of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Transportation Agency, Syafrin Liputo, in a press conference at the Office of the Director General of Pollution Control and Environmental Damage, Jakarta on Friday, 11th August 2023.
Apart from using public transportation, Liputo also encourages people, especially in DKI Jakarta, to switch to using electric vehicles as a means of daily mobility. This is because one of the causes of deteriorating air quality in Jakarta is motorised vehicles.
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“We are pushing for electrification in the public transport and motorised vehicle sectors. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has now provided incentives for people who buy electric motorised vehicles with a BBNKB (Motorised Vehicle Transfer Fee) of Rp0,” said Liputo.
A number of studies have proven that electric vehicles are superior in reducing air pollution emissions when compared to motorised vehicles. One study published in 2013 found that electric vehicles excel at around 80 percent in minimising carbon emissions.
Based on the results of the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) analysis, the average carbon emission per kilometre will decrease by 25 percent, namely to 188 grams of CO2 per kilometre from 252 grams of CO2 if massive electric vehicles are used.
On the same occasion, Liputo said that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government will also provide more sidewalks and bicycle lanes to encourage people to be more active on foot. Thus, the use of motorised vehicles will be reduced and pollution problems can be resolved.
“We also encourage the community to increase active mobility. Provision of sidewalks is carried out massively, as well as bicycle lanes that are integrated with all Jakarta public transportation services,” said Syafrin.
In recent times, the air quality in DKI Jakarta and its surroundings has been getting worse. In fact, Jakarta once occupied the first position as the city with the dirtiest air in the world with a record AQI value of 156 on Thursday, 10th August 2023.