Honda Collaborates with Pertamina on Electric Vehicle Utilization Research for Commercial Activities

Jakarta, August 15, 2023 – PT Honda Prospect Motor (HPM) announced a collaboration with Pertamina Patra Niaga and Pertamina New Renewable Energy to conduct research on electric vehicle utilization in urban commercial activities. Through this collaboration, Honda will provide one unit of the Honda N-VAN EV Prototype, the latest electric vehicle prototype from Honda, to support goods delivery from warehouses to Bright Store units (retail business units owned by PT Pertamina Retail, a subsidiary of Pertamina Patra Niaga) in the Jakarta area and its surroundings.

The inauguration of this collaboration was marked by a Joint Study Agreement signing by Kotaro Shimizu, President Director of PT Honda Prospect Motor; Dannif Danusaputro, Chief Executive Officer of Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (Pertamina NRE); and Riva Siahaan, President Director of Pertamina Patra Niaga, at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) on August 14, 2023.

The signing ceremony was also attended by:

• Benawati Abas, Senior Vice President of PT Honda Prospect Motor
• Fadli Rahman, Director of Strategic Planning and Business Development of Pertamina’s New Renewable Energy Sub-Holding
• Aditya Dewobroto, Vice President of Strategy & Portfolio of Pertamina New Renewable Energy
• Harsono Budi Santoso, Director of Planning & Business Development of Pertamina Patra Niaga
• Sigit Setiawan Hari, Vice President of Business Development & Partnerships of Pertamina Patra Niaga
• Iin Febrian, President Director of PT Pertamina Retail
• Fedy Alberto, Director of Commercial & Operations of PT Pertamina Retail

The main goal of this collaboration is to gather data and experience regarding electric vehicle utilization, particularly in commercial activities. Various aspects will be researched in this study collaboration, including battery reliability, recharging processes, as well as the N-VAN EV Prototype’s comfort and practicality for goods delivery in urban areas.

This research collaboration will last for three months, during which the Honda N-Van EV Prototype will operate six days a week, delivering logistics from Pertamina Retail's storage warehouse to 14 Bright Store locations in the Jakarta area and its surroundings, with an average travel distance of around 100 kilometers per day. The results of this research are expected to provide a deeper understanding of electric vehicles’ potential as environmentally friendly and efficient solutions for logistics and distribution activities.

Kotaro Shimizu, President Director of PT Honda Prospect Motor, stated, "The study we are conducting with the Honda N-VAN EV Prototype aims to understand consumer needs and infrastructure in Indonesia to prepare Honda's electrification vision in Indonesia. Previously, Honda has also started studying electric vehicle utilization for consumers in Indonesia using the Honda e, and this study will complement our learning, especially for commercial activities. We greatly appreciate the support from Pertamina, one of the leading companies in Indonesia that share a vision with Honda to create environmentally friendly technologies in the future."

Vice President of Corporate Communication of PT Pertamina (Persero), Fadjar Djoko Santoso, explained that the synergy between the Pertamina Group and Honda in electric vehicle utilization research strengthens Pertamina's commitment to ecosystem development and energy transition. "The participation of Pertamina's two sub-holdings, Pertamina Patra Niaga and Pertamina New Renewable Energy, in this collaboration is expected to yield factual research outcomes and explore the potential for electric vehicle ecosystem development," he stated.

Similarly, Riva Siahaan, President Director of Pertamina Patra Niaga, stated that this collaboration represents Pertamina Patra Niaga's step through its subsidiary Pertamina Retail, which operates Bright Store, in promoting energy transition in the Non-Fuel Retail business line. It also encourages public electric vehicle charging stations (SPKLU) utilization, currently available at several Green Energy Stations in the Jakarta area.

"Through the electric 4-wheeler cargo vehicles utilization, we hope to create efficiency and contribute to emissions reduction in our Non-Fuel Retail business operations. Additionally, this will encourage other industry players to utilize SPKLU or charging stations at Pertamina's Green Energy Stations," Riva explained.

Dannif Danusaputro, Chief Executive Officer of Pertamina NRE, stated that for Pertamina NRE, this collaboration would be a strategic milestone, as Pertamina NRE also focuses on battery and electric vehicle ecosystem development in its business portfolio.

"We warmly welcome this positive collaboration between Pertamina and Honda. Currently, Pertamina NRE participates in the battery and electric vehicle ecosystem through Indonesia Battery Corporation. We believe that collaboration among various parties will accelerate the electric vehicle ecosystem establishment in Indonesia," Dannif clarified.

The Honda N-VAN EV Prototype used in this research is the N-VAN model development, one of Honda's highly successful commercial vehicle models. First introduced in the Japanese market in 2018, the N-VAN is widely used not only for personal use but also to fulfill mobility needs in business and commercial activities, especially in goods delivery.

With its compact and agile design, the Honda N-VAN has become a popular choice among entrepreneurs and business operators who require a compact vehicle with optimal loading capacity. The cargo space of the Honda N-Van is easily accessible due to Honda's elimination of the center pillar on the passenger side, allowing for a larger opening on the front passenger side of the vehicle.

As part of its commitment to the environment, Honda has set a vision to achieve carbon neutrality for all of its products and company activities by 2050. To realize this vision, Honda plans to introduce up to 30 electric vehicle models globally by 2030, with a production volume of two million units per year.

The Honda N-Van EV Prototype that will be used in the collaboration between Honda and Pertamina can be seen by visitors during the GIIAS 2023 exhibition from August 14 to 20, 2023, in the Honda e:Technology zone.