BYD is electrifying Bali and Jakarta with a new order for a fleet of 200 of BYD’s fully electric T3 vans from the operator of the largest taxi network in Indonesia, PT Blue Bird Tbk. The new order is the largest order for fully electric taxis in history in Indonesia and also sets a new record for BYD for its electric vans outside of China.
Representatives from BYD & Blue Bird were on hand to celebrate the occasion. Image courtesy: BYD
The vans will join the fleet of 25 fully electric BYD e6 taxis which have been operating in Indonesia for the past few months, racking up more than 2 million kilometers | 1.24 million miles along the way. “In the past few months, our 25 e6 taxis have traveled a total of 2 million kilometers in Jakarta. This is equivalent to circling the earth 50 times!” said Liu Xueliang, general manager of BYD’s Asia Pacific sales division.
The new order for 200 electric 7-seater vans from BYD represents the next bold step into the electrified future not only for taxi operator Blue Bird, but for Indonesia as a whole. Blue Bird owns more than 30,000 taxis that operate in Indonesia, so while the 200 vans are an impressive incremental step into electrification, the potential is far larger if these new vans prove to be a success.
A few of the BYD e6 taxis operating in Indonesia with the Blue Bird mascot, Blubi. Image courtesy: BYD
150 of the new vans will stay in the capital city of Jakarta while the other 50 will head off to the island of Bali. Not only do the new vans eliminate the need for a significant amount of petrol (3.5 million liters per year), the larger impact is felt locally. The new vans are expected to eliminate 8,290 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. That means better air quality for the congested streets of Jakarta and much needed relief in tourist-mobbed Bali.
“Today also marks the beginning of Blue Bird and BYD’s extended partnership in transforming Indonesia’s transportation landscape by allowing easier access to owning and operating the use of electric vehicles in the country. This is the new era, the era that we’ve all been waiting for in Indonesia. ” said Noni Sri Ayati Purnomo, President Director of Blue Bird.
BYD e6 taxis operating in Indonesia. Image courtesy: BYD
BYD is making serious inroads in Indonesia just in the last 12 months. During Busworld Southeast Asia earlier this year, BYD inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the local BRT operator, Trans Jakarta, to explore the possibility of electrifying its fleets.
While in Bali and Kupang, Indonesia last year, I found many of the areas to be congested, resulting in poor air quality and loud traffic. Converting fleets to electric vehicles has the potential to make a significant impact to both the lifestyle and health of locals and tourists alike. Perhaps more importantly, cleaning up the transportation footprint in Bali would improve its attractiveness as a tourist destination for generations to come.
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