Electric Trucks Made in Indonesia Are the Solution to Solar Fuel Scarcity
Along with the scarcity of diesel fuel and the increase in fuel oil, the students of the Surabaya Telkom Institute of Technology (IT Telkom Surabaya/ITTS) initiated an innovation by converting diesel-powered trucks into electric-powered trucks.
This innovation of Indonesian youth has been developed from previous innovations, especially in terms of electric batteries as an energy source to help solve environmental problems caused by gas emissions of truck-type vehicles.
ITTS Chancellor Tri Arief Sardjono said that the development of electric vehicles has so far been mostly carried out on passenger vehicles. The electric truck innovation is a new breakthrough in developing electric vehicles for the type of freight transport.
"Hopefully, it can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the use of diesel fuel which is replaced by electricity which is supported by the Telkom Education Foundation, PLN, and also the Transportation Agency as a regulator," he explained to Kartininews, Wednesday (11/5/2022).
Uniquely, Arief explained that the electric truck, named 'Mobil Toko', had been developed from a used truck.
"This truck has used a used car or a used truck whose engine condition has been damaged or the emissions are too large. Then the engine is lowered, replaced with an electric motor and battery," he explained.
This type of pickup truck or goods transport vehicle, Arief continued, is named after Mobil Toko, which has been developed from the previous one which was only capable of running two rounds, now it is capable of five rounds without any problems with the battery.
"This pickup type car or goods transport vehicle is called a Toko Mobil. It means that if you drop it, you have to see it, but it has been tried and the battery still looks full," explained Rector Arief.
Based on trials with the addition of the capacity of two batteries, the electric truck can cover a distance of up to 80 km. Now this car will soon be carried out a load test and plans to be dispatched to Madiun to the Gunung Mas Body to be modified into a Shop Car.
Regarding performance, this electric truck made by the nation's children is capable of traveling at a speed of 30-40 kph when in gear ratio 1 and 2. However, the university claims that the speed of this electric truck can reach 80 kph using a transmission from the original truck base.
Although there are no plans for mass production, the development of this electric truck will still continue. "We plan to make this first phase of a real Mobil Toko prototype, which can later be commercialized," concluded Rector Arief.