JAKARTA: After successfully showcasing its electric-vehicle (EV) ecosystem during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali Island last November, Indonesia is once again trying to promote its commitment to energy transition through EV programmes ahead of the 2023 Asean Summit.

The Indonesian government has revealed that at least 275 electric cars will be deployed to transport delegates and their entourages, including security guards, at the Asean summit that will be held in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province this year.

In addition, around 105 electric motorcycles will be used to help escort the delegates and become operational transportation for the participants.

To this end, Indonesia’s state-run electricity company PLN is installing no fewer than 100 units of EV charging stations that comprise both ultra-fast and slow charging ones.

“All of the total charging units we need have arrived in Labuan Bajo and we will instal them at a number of locations, including parking lots at all venues of the Asean Summit,” general manager of the PLN’s NTT regional office, Fintje Lumembang, said in a recent statement.

She added that the PLN had made available the supporting equipment, including generators, mobile electrical substantiation units and uninterruptible power supply units.

“All of the EV infrastructure in Labuan Bajo will not only be ready to support the Asean Summit, but also will help expedite the infrastructure development in the region,” Lumembang said.

Indonesia is currently on track to demonstrate its commitment to climate change and sustainable energy, mainly by encouraging the national automotive industry to develop the EV ecosystem.

Previously, South-East Asia’s largest economy used its presidency at the G20 Summit last November to promote the use of EVs during the high-level event for delegates and participants. Local media said the G20 had marked Indonesia’s transition to EV as a cleaner alternative energy.

Indonesian president Joko Widodo said on March 14 that for the Asean Summit, the government would promote Labuan Bajo as the country’s super-priority tourism destination.

Labuan Bajo is one of Indonesia’s popular tourist areas, which is often called the New Bali by the local government. The fishing town has also been a gate for tourists to go to Komodo Island.

The EV ecosystem will remain one of the main focuses at the Asean Summit.

The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry announced earlier this year that among the priority issues at the summit were food security, financial stability, energy security and health recovery.

“Asean is a promising region, and we have enough resources to develop the EV ecosystem and blue economy as the new engine of growth,” the deputy for the coordination of international economic cooperation under the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Edi Prio Pambudi, told Xinhua recently.

Asean members should support each other in this initiative, he added. — Xinhua