TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) Transportation Agency has started testing two electric buses for the public and tourists. The trial is scheduled to run until December 20, and if the evaluation results are as expected, the two electric buses will be put into operation in 2025.

Wulan Sapto Nugroho, head of transportation division at the DIY Transportation Agency, said that the main target route for the procurement of this electric bus is the Sumbu Filosofi Yogyakarta area. The landmark of the area, which connects Panggung Krapyak Point and the Yogyakarta Monument, also passes through Malioboro and the Yogyakarta Palace. "During the trial period, there are three alternative routes that will be tested," Sapto said on Monday, December 9.

Trial Routes

The first trial route is from Adisutjipto Airport then to Malioboro. The second is from Ngabean terminal north through Pasar Kranggan, and then continue to Tugu Jogja area and south to Malioboro. The third route is from Malioboro to the east of Kotabaru, then to the Duta Wacana Christian University (UKDW) campus, Galeria Mall to the west, Tugu Pal Putih, and back to Malioboro. "These are routes that support the existing services in Malioboro, Sumbu Filosofi," Sapto said.

It takes 1 to 1.5 hours to fully charge these purple electric buses. Each bus has a maximum capacity of 28 passengers with 18 seats and 10 standing room.

Sapto said that unlike buses that run on diesel fuel, these buses cannot be too packed with passengers as it will affect the battery consumption. "The heavier the load, the bigger the battery consumption," Sapto added.

Sapto said that the purple color of the electric buses will help them stand out from other buses and help the public become more familiar with them.

In 2025, when this electric bus is ready to operate, the planned fare will be the same as the Trans Jogja bus.

Reducing Emission

The arrival of electric buses in the Sumbu Filosofi Yogyakarta area is an effort to reduce the emission rate (Low Emission Zone), in alignment with the designation of Sumbu Filosofi as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Paniradya Pati Kaistimewan, Aris Eko Nugroho, said that with the support of the Special Fund, the cost of procuring and providing infrastructure support for these two electric buses and their infrastructure reached about Rp7.4 billion. The chargers for the electric buses were procured separately and have been completed. The Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station (SPKLU) for the two electric buses is located in the parking lot of Adisutjipto Airport.

Pollution-free

Bayu Dwi Purwanto, one of the electric bus drivers who was in charge of the trial process of the transportation mode, said that operationally, the electric bus is comfortable, non-polluting and practical to drive.

With three alternative routes to Malioboro being tested, the electric bus can travel a distance of about 160 kilometers before needing to be recharged. For one lap of the route, the electric bus uses only 11-12 percent of the battery.

"Each full charge can last about 160 kilometers before it needs to be recharged. If [the buses] make 5 to 6 trips a day, that should be enough. But later we will determine how long it takes for each route and until what time of day," Bayu said.

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