The Pros & Cons of Electric Cars to Know Before You Buy Them!

The Indonesian automotive industry is slowly transitioning from combustion-engined vehicles to electrification technology, or commonly referred to as electric cars. This is proven by the increasing sales of electric cars in the last four years.

In fact, according to data from the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industries (Gaikindo) it is stated that sales of electric cars in July 2022 have exceeded all of 2021. A total of 1,594 units of electric vehicles have been sold at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS).

Electric cars are available in various types, namely Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV). Are you interested in owning an electric car? Before you decide to buy an electric car, firstly learn the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars. Be sure to check the facts below.

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Advantages of Electric Cars

Abroad, electric cars are nothing new. However, in Indonesia itself, of course, there are still many who wonder about the advantages of electric cars. Moreover, the choice of electric car manufacturers is still limited compared to conventional engine cars. Here are the advantages of electric cars.

1. Environmentally friendly

One of the advantages of electric cars is their environmentally friendly aspect, especially compared to conventional cars. Full electric cars run on electric power, thus they don't emit emissions, similarly, hybrid type electric cars play a big role in reducing the exhaust emissions.

This reason also makes the government continue to encourage people to use electric cars as a solution to air pollution, especially in big cities in Indonesia.

2. Silent Cabin

If you are looking for a comfortable driving experience, then an electric car can be an option. Electric cars do not have a combustion process in the engine, therefore, the cabin is quieter. Electric cars also don't emit vibrations and make traveling more comfortable.

3. Odd Even Free

The advantage of owning an electric car, especially in DKI Jakarta, is that you can still ride it every day without worrying about being fined for violating the odd-even rule. In accordance with DKI Jakarta Governor Regulation Number 88 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Governor Regulation Number 155 of 2018 on the Odd-Even System, electric cars are free to pass through all roads in DKI Jakarta.

4. Cheaper Electric Car Maintenance

As you know, a conventional car has a machine with many components that require your attention. For this reason, doing a regular service is mandatory for conventional vehicle owners, such as changing oil, spark plugs, oil filters, and others.

However, this is not the case with electric cars, where long-term maintenance costs are relatively cheap, considering there are no combustion engines that need special attention. In fact, according to Consumer Reports research, users of electric or hybrid cars can save up to 50% on maintenance and repair costs.

5. Cheaper Battery Charging Costs

You may be wondering how much it costs to charge the battery in an electric car, is it more expensive than buying gasoline? Another advantage of electric cars is that the cost of charging the battery is cheaper and more stable than the cost of refueling fuel.

For example, the Tesla Model X electric car costs around IDR 130,000 to IDR 150,000 to fully charge the battery. With this power, the car can travel as far as 350 km. Meanwhile, for this distance, a conventional car requires a refueling fee of around IDR 500,000.

6. Nimble and Agile Car

Do not underestimate the performance of an electric car because this car offers an engine with peak torque immediately when you step on the accelerator pedal. This is what makes electric cars very nimble and agile, especially in stop and go situations. In contrast to the character of a conventional car that can only touch peak torque at certain engine speeds.

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Disadvantages of Electric Cars

Even though it offers advantages, unfortunately electric cars still have disadvantages compared to conventional oil-fueled cars. Here are the disadvantages of electric cars that you should consider.

1. The price of electric cars is relatively more expensive

It's no secret that electric cars are still relatively expensive. The cheapest electric car in Indonesia at the moment is the Wuling Air EV, which is sold at prices starting at IDR 230 million as of August 2022 according to Gaikindo wholesales data.

There are several reasons why electric cars are expensive. One of the most basic is the price of the battery which is still expensive. According to the Director of the Center for Economic and Law Studies (Celios) Bhima Yudhistira as quoted from the Kompas.com page, the price of batteries for electric vehicles is 40 percent of the price of electric cars.

2. Limited Charging Stations

Because most Indonesians still use conventional cars, the number of charging stations is still limited. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) continues to encourage the acceleration of the electric vehicle ecosystem by increasing the number of Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (SPKLU) and Public Electric Vehicle Battery Exchange Stations (SPBKLU) in Indonesia.

Currently there are only 332 SPKLU units in 279 public locations and 369 SPBKLU units spread across Indonesia. The government has also provided charging stations in tourism destinations such as in Bali within the framework of the G20 Presidency. To support the transformation of electric vehicles, the State Electricity Company (PLN) will also invite the private sector to establish as many SPKLUs as possible.

3. Long Charging Time

One of the considerations that you need to know about electric vehicles is the fairly long charging time. The actual charging time depends on the method used. For example, a Hyundai electric car via a wall charger takes about 5-6 hours to reach its full capacity.

Meanwhile, for SPKLU with fast charging facilities, it generally takes about 1-2 hours to charge the battery 100 percent. This duration is of course quite long compared to refueling which only takes 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Expensive Battery Prices

As previously mentioned, one of the drawbacks of electric cars is the high cost of batteries. Batteries are the most important component in electric cars, so manufacturers provide a long enough warranty of up to 8 years or 160,000 km.

Currently, there are not many cases of electric cars that need to have the battery replaced. However, the quality of car batteries can decrease over time and you will need to replace a car battery at a fairly high cost.

So, those are the information about the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars. In the end, with the development of technology, the demand for electric cars will increase. So, what do you think? Are you interested in switching to an electric car?