UGM-Made Electric Vehicles to Be Used at Yogyakarta Airport

TheIndonesia.co - The electric vehicle made by the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Faculty of Engineering named the Gadjah Mada Airport Transporter electric (GATe) will be used for transportation services at Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA). The handover of electric vehicles produced by UGM to PT Angkasa Pura I took place at the UGM Hall, Yogyakarta, Friday, March 4, 2022.

"The plan is to have seven units, but while the first unit has been completed for today and symbolically we handed it over to AP I for use at YIA Airport," said the head of the GATE Development Team, Muh. Arif Wibisono.

GATE, which was developed starting in 2019, is designed as a low-speed airport vehicle under 25 km per hour with a capacity of 4 to 6 people. Wibisono said the electric vehicle uses a lithium battery that can cover a distance of up to 70 km after being charged for 6 to 7 hours.

In developing GATe, the research team is trying to increase the use of local components following the Presidential Regulation which regulates the use of Domestic Component Level (TKDN). "Actually, we can produce almost everything ourselves, but it's still on a prototype scale, so we need another process to achieve reliability for use by consumers. Currently, it's around 50-60 percent," said Arif.

The research team will continue to develop GATe until the number of components produced increases. The GATe prototype itself has been tested in several locations, including the UGM campus, YIA Airport, and Borobudur Temple, with various performance measurements needed.

"Now we are entering the third year for finalization, so this is quite mature. Only there may be some improvements in the future according to what consumers want," he said.

Research on electric vehicles for special needs is carried out in collaboration with the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) and UGM Research Directorate. The UGM Faculty of Engineering also received assistance from the PT Angkasa Pura I's Social and Environmental Responsibility Fund for the manufacture and development of GATE.

UGM Chancellor Prof. Panut Mulyono hopes that the vehicles can be used as well as to support services at the airport. "This is an award for us at UGM, and also as a test for the products that have been made. If needed, of course, developments will be made to improve quality so that it becomes better," said Panut.

The Chancellor said this product is expected to be used not only at YIA but also at various airports in Indonesia, as an alternative for vehicles for airport transportation imported from various countries. "Of course we expect airports in Indonesia to use our own electric cars," he said.