"If the infrastructure is ready, we can start mass producing the car with a capacity of 5000 units per year."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan has conducted a test drive of a national electric car prototype on Monday.

The electric car was driven by the minister from its garage workshop at Jati Mulya, situated on the outskirts of Jakarta, to the Research and Technology Ministry building in Thamrin Road, Central Jakarta.

Dahlan was accompanied by the prototype-maker Dasep Ahmadi on this 48 kilometer cruise across Jakarta. The minister waded through traffic at busy junctions while crossing Margonda, Lenteng Agung, Pasar Minggu, Pancoran, Gatot Subroto, Semanggi, Sudirman and Thamrin before concluding his trip.

The minister armed only with the local police's road certificate, drove the brand new Ahmadi Mesin 5.0 electric car, which has been named after its maker.

Following this test drive, Dahlan expects the mass production to begin by 2013.

"If the infrastructure is ready, we can start mass producing the car with a capacity of 5000 units per year," he claimed.

As an electric car that does not fit within the car/motorcycle category, it needs a specially designed regulation on tax and registrations for the vehicle which was as yet unavailable in Indonesia.

In supporting the electric vehicle program, Dahlan said that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has instructed the Industry Minister, Research and Technology Minister and the Trade Minister to work on electric car regulations.

"Within the next three months, there should be a clear technical guide to commercial regulations, so that the car can be mass produced," Dahlan said.

Besides Ahmadi`s electric car, there are four other variants also in the final stages of completion under the minibus, city car and sport car class ranges.

Dahlan is optimistic about the future of the national electric car, since besides saving on the national fuel consumption, the price of these vehicles will not be too expensive even as the technology continues to grow.

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(U.A050/INE/O001)



(T.A050/A/KR-BSR/O001) 16-07-2012 15:03:37

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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