Grab to put Gesits electric scooters on Jakarta streets

Hyundai and Blue Bird also take on smog problem as government drags its feet

Ride-hailing service Grab will roll out Indonesian-made electric motor scooters as part of efforts to transition to new energy vehicles. (Courtesy of Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment)

SHOTARO TANI, Nikkei staff writer

December 23, 2019 13:08 JST

JAKARTA -- Eager to help Jakarta rid its image as one of the most polluted cities in Southeast Asia, transportation companies in the capital are looking to deploy electric vehicles, an ambitious goal in a country that lacks the infrastructure for wide-scale EV deployment.

Such attempts by the private sector are becoming more pertinent as environmental concerns become a pressing issue in Indonesia -- a signatory of the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. This is especially so since the government has failed to address the issue in any meaningful way.