Indonesiantalk.com — SUNRA commissioner welcomes government plan to convert gasoline motorcycles to electric
The Indonesian government is stepping up efforts to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles as part of its broader national energy transition agenda.
One of the initiatives currently being prepared is a gradual program to convert gasoline-powered motorcycles into electric vehicles.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the government sees significant potential in motorcycle conversion, considering that Indonesia has around 120 million gasoline-powered motorcycles on the road.
“Our 120 million motorcycles currently run on gasoline. We will try, step by step, to convert them into electric motorcycles,” Bahlil told reporters after a limited cabinet meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
According to Bahlil, the motorcycle conversion program has already been underway for several years. Each year, around 200,000 motorcycles have been converted from gasoline engines to electric power.
Going forward, the government aims to accelerate the program as technological developments help bring down conversion costs. Currently, the cost of converting a motorcycle is estimated to range between Rp 5 million and Rp 6 million (around US$320–$380) per unit.
“Technology is becoming more affordable, so the cost could be around Rp 5 to Rp 6 million. Over time, it will become even cheaper,” Bahlil said.
The government is also formulating various support schemes to make it easier for the public to convert their vehicles. One of the measures under consideration is providing subsidies estimated at Rp 4 million to Rp 6 million per unit.
Bahlil explained that the acceleration plan is also supported by the formation of a task force on energy transition acceleration, established by President Prabowo. The task force is expected to speed up policies related to clean energy, including electric vehicles.
The government’s plan has been positively received by industry players. Ismeth Wibowo, commissioner of PT Sunra Asia Pacific Hi-Tech, welcomed the government’s proposal to provide subsidies for motorcycle conversion.
“We welcome the government’s plan to provide subsidies of up to Rp 6 million. Hopefully this incentive will encourage people to convert their motorcycles and move toward environmentally friendly vehicles and the vehicles of the future,” Ismeth said.
He explained that PT Sunra Asia Pacific Hi-Tech is a subsidiary of Chinese electric motorcycle manufacturer Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co. Ltd, based in Wuxi. However, SUNRA electric motorcycles sold in Indonesia already contain 42 percent local content (TKDN).
The company is also preparing to build an assembly facility in the Kendal Special Economic Zone (KEK Kendal) in Central Java. PT SUNRA has secured around 12.7 hectares of land for the construction of its initial manufacturing facility.
Ismeth expressed optimism about the growth of Indonesia’s electric vehicle market. He said rising public interest in electric motorcycles has also been driven by partnerships aimed at making financing easier for consumers, including cooperation with Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI).
At the same time, the government continues to expand supporting infrastructure such as public electric vehicle charging stations (SPKLU) in various regions.
Companies are also expanding distribution networks to bring electric vehicles closer to consumers.
“We already have dozens of dealers across Indonesia equipped with after-sales services,” Ismeth said.
He added that global geopolitical dynamics, including conflicts in the Middle East that influence global oil prices, further underscore the urgency of transitioning to electric vehicles.
“Once again, we are optimistic that electric vehicles will become increasingly popular among the public, as reflected by the growing number of electric vehicle users in Indonesia,” Ismeth said.
