Minister for Energy and Energy Resources, Ignasius Jonan, launched electric rickshaw (becak) produced by engineering students and lecturers of UGM at Balairung UGM on Friday (18/1).
Minister Jonan appreciates UGM for developing the electric rickshaw because this innovation can humanize the driver more and reduce pollution.
“I am thankful for PLN (State Electricity Company) and UGM Engineering Faculty that have initiated the electric rickshaw. This is more humane as the driver doesn’t have to paddle it while pollution can be reduced,” he said.
Minister Jonan said he supported this development and hoped that UGM in the future can collaborate with the industry to mass produce it.
“It’s also Yogyakarta governor’s hope to issue regulations on the use of electric rickshaw for tourism,” he added.
In the event the Minister tried to drive the rickshaw which was ridden by Rector of UGM, Prof. Panut Mulyono.
Panut Mulyono expected the electric rickshaw would improve the productivity of the driver. “The productivity will get bigger because the manual work is replaced by electricity which can cover up to 30 kilometers,” he said. He asserted the electric rickshaw is more environmentally friendly than motorized rickshaw.
Meanwhile, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof.Nizam, said through the Innovation Center for Automotive (ICA) they modified the rickshaw by converting it into electric ones. Components were added consisting of electric motor of 1,500 Watts 48V and VRLA 48V batteries with a capacity of 12Ah. This can power the vehicle to roam a distance of 30 kilometers for each battery charge.
“The distance can be extended by changing the batteries to 24Ah which can cover 50-60 km per charge,” he added.
Currently, as many as 15 rickshaw prototypes have been developed by the faculty and have been distributed to rickshaw drivers in the Bulaksumur UGM area.
Prior to the launching, Minister Jonan had given a guest lecture in Senate Hall UGM on the theme of “The Role of Higher Education in the Development of New and Renewable Energy. An agreement on cooperation was also signed between UGM and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on research and development of new and renewable energy and energy conversion. The signing was done by the Rector and Head of Research and Development, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
