TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Public transportation provider PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) has set electric powered buses to be included in its active fleets and is close to running a trial run. This begs the question of whether electric power units will become mandatory in the future.

Responding to this question, Transjakarta President Director Agung Wicaksono said there is a probability of it happening but he is highly aware of the committed efforts needed to realize that desire.

The amount of time needed for preparation in mind, Agung opted not to confirm when an all-electric Transjakarta fleet will become a reality.

Read: Transjakarta to Launch Electric Bus Trial Run

“Based on today’s discussion on the electric bus, the process is indeed a long way and I cannot just say that everything will be powered by electric motors. However, in the long run, we do have that dream in mind,” said Agung at JIExpo Kemayoran on Thursday, March 21.

Apart from the electric bus itself, other crucial elements to support it is also needed such as the infrastructures, the automotive industry itself, and technological preparation, in general, to switch to fully electric fleet.

“But of course this needs to be done through several steps, we must see the industry’s readiness to switch technology. But there are cities precedents where they operate 100 percent electric busses such as in Shenzen, China. They proved a total of 16,000 electric bus units,” he said.

KHAIRUL IMAM GHOZALI