Electric cars are increasingly enlivening the streets in Indonesia. Increasingly, the number is increasing with their respective advantages. The mileage is also getting farther and farther, becoming an asset to lure people in the country. However, many people still compare electric cars with gasoline cars. Some say gasoline cars are still more efficient than gasoline cars. To avoid confusion, here we provide an overview of the costs of using electric cars and gasoline cars. 

Service Cost of Electric Cars vs Gasoline Cars

Electric cars are increasingly emerging. The government has also laid out the red carpet for electric cars in Indonesia. Electric cars can get a 10% Value Added Tax (VAT) incentive. Thus, consumers only need to pay 1% VAT on electric cars as stipulated in Minister of Finance Regulation number 38 of 2023 concerning VAT on Delivery of Certain Four-Wheeled Battery-Based Electric Motor Vehicles and Certain Bus Battery-Based Electric Motor Vehicles Covered by the Government for Fiscal Year 2023. 

Thanks to these incentives, the price of electric cars that meet the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) minimal 40% jadi lebih murah. Wuling Air ev for example, with these incentives, it is now sold from IDR 222 million to the most expensive IDR 270 million. Meanwhile, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has its price cut by Rp 70 million due to the incentive. 

In terms of price, electric cars are becoming more competitive with gasoline cars. For example, Wuling Air ev will compete with cars in the city car class and also Low MPV. As an illustration, we chose a car with the same price range for comparison, which is a popular model like the Toyota Avanza. Toyota Avanza is currently offered at prices ranging from IDR 233.1 million to the most expensive IDR 298.5 million. 

If the price is competitive, what about the maintenance cost? The maintenance fee for the new Toyota Avanza starts from the 8th service. The 1st to 7th service is free of charge for services and spare parts. For the 8th service, Avanza car owners with CVT transmission will be charged Rp 957,270. The 9th service will cost Rp 2,297,230. Furthermore, at the 10th service, the cost that will be incurred is IDR 957,270. While at the 11th service, the owner will be charged a rate of Rp 2,088,750. The total service cost for Toyota Avanza with CVT transmission is Rp 5,344,207. 

Meanwhile, for a manual transmission Avanza, the cost will be even more expensive. In total from the 8th service, manual transmission Avanza owners will be charged Rp 5,962,520. How about the Wuling Air ev? The maintenance cost of Wuling Air ev when calculated over the next five years is observed to be cheaper. The lack of components allows the maintenance cost of Wuling Air ev to be cheaper. From the sources we received, in total for five years or 100,000 km, Wuling Air ev users will spend Rp 3,912,000 for the replacement of axle oil to AC filters. 

Operating Costs of Electric Cars vs Gasoline Cars

In addition to lower service costs, operational costs are also fairly efficient. Wuling Air ev has a battery capacity of 26.7 kWh. The cost of charging the battery in SPKLU IDR 1,650-2,475 per kWh. If the cost charged is IDR 2,475, then multiply it by 26.7 kWh and the result is IDR 66,082.5. With a cost of less than IDR 70 thousand, the car can travel around 300 km. Likewise, when filling with fast chargingThe government sets the service charge outside the electricity tariff at a maximum of IDR 25,000 and ultrafast charging a maximum of IDR 57,000 for each charge. 

Toyota Avanza, for example, has a fuel consumption of 15 km/liter and uses Pertalite fuel. To be able to travel 300 km, it costs about 300 km : 15 km/liter = 20 liters. 20 liters then multiplied by the price of Pertalite, which is currently sold at IDR 10,000 per liter, the cost is IDR 200,000. If the fuel used is more expensive per liter, the operational costs are also higher. 

In terms of maintenance and operations, the cost of owning an electric car is now cheaper than a gasoline car. Therefore, those of you who just want to switch to using an electric car don't need to worry anymore if someone says it costs more than a gasoline car.

Sources: 

Situs resmi PLN, Keputusan Menteri ESDM No. 182.K/TL.04/MEM.S/2023 tentang Biaya Layanan Pengisian Listrik pada Stasiun Pengisian Kendaraan Listrik Umum