Local governments are being pressed to move faster on electric-vehicle readiness, with a warning that national policy alone will not be enough to sustain the shift. Bima Arya Sugiarto, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, said regions must begin building their own electric-vehicle ecosystems so they do not fall behind as adoption continues to rise in Indonesia.
Infrastructure cannot wait
At the center of that push is charging access. Bima Arya urged regional administrations to start preparing electric-vehicle charging stations, calling them a critical basic facility for people who are transitioning to electric mobility.
He also highlighted the need for trained technicians. In his view, service and technical support must grow alongside the user base so electric-vehicle ownership does not run into maintenance bottlenecks.
Regions are expected to move beyond waiting for the center
The message also carried a broader warning: regions should not rely only on central government measures. National efforts, including incentives and tax exemptions for electric vehicles, need to be matched by readiness at the local level if the transition is to deliver wider benefits.
Bima Arya argued that local governments must act more quickly because electric-vehicle use in Indonesia is expected to keep increasing. That trend, he suggested, makes early preparation a practical necessity rather than an optional policy choice.
Industry and education are part of the same ecosystem
Bima Arya said local governments cannot build this ecosystem alone. He pushed for stronger cooperation with related industries so development can move faster and with clearer direction.
He also said education should be included in the planning. Local governments, according to Bima Arya, should work with educational institutions to produce human resources that can support the growth of the national electric-vehicle industry.
That approach, he said, is important because regions should not only serve as markets for electric vehicles. They also need to help build the technicians, talent, and supporting supply chain that make the transition to clean energy work in practice.
Message delivered in Cilegon
The remarks were delivered during a visit to the Cilegon Mayor’s Office in Cilegon on Wednesday (20/5/2026). Bima Arya said cooperation among local governments, industry, and education sectors could accelerate the growth of Indonesia’s electric-vehicle ecosystem.
For regional administrations, the takeaway is straightforward: the transition is no longer only about central policy. Without charging infrastructure, technical support, and stronger partnerships, the benefits of electric vehicles will reach the public more slowly.
Source: www.beritasatu.com