Research, Technology and High Educational Institute Minister Muhammad Nasir said Indonesia has plan to build electric cars only as national car.
“Yes only electric cars , not ones fueled with oil or other fuels,” the minister said here on Monday.
He said the government chose electric cars as they are environmentally friendly.
Japan and South Korea have been ahead in the technology of oil fueled cars in Asia and it would be difficult to compete with them, he said.
In addition the country oil reserves have been dwindling fast, he said.
Currently, the national car project is in the process of evaluation and trial operation by the Technology Application and Study Agency (BPPT) and two state universities — the Indonesian University and the Bandung Institute of Technology , he said.
The evaluation and trial run is expected to show any weaknesses of the design, by the end of this year, he said.
He refused to comment on report about business cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia in the development of national car .
In Jakarta, deputy chairman of the Parliament Fadli Zon raised question about Esemka car earlier planned to be developed as national car, but instead the government chose to team up with Malaysian car maker Proton, to produce national car.
He said national car project does not necessary a government project and to be built by the government.
He said cooperation with Proton is not a government program, and not a G to G project, but it is a project of the private sector.
An Indonesia private company is free to seek cooperation with partner from any countries, he said.
Earlier, the chief executive of Proton Holding Bhd, Datuk Abdul Harits Abdullah inaugurated the start of cooperation with the CEO of Adiperkasa Citra Lestari, AM Hendropriyono, to develop national car.
