PLN to build 10 electric-car-recharging stations in Jakarta

State utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) will build 10 recharging stations for electric cars in Jakarta as its initial plan to support the government?s initiative to promote the electric cars as part of effort to protect the environment.

?We will develop recharging stations for electric cars in malls, around office buildings, rest areas. Later, PLN will expand such services to other cities,? PLN President Director Nur Pamudji told reporters in Jakarta as reported by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

According to him, the electric recharging service will not get subsidy from the government.

Minister of State-Owned Companies, Dahlan Iskan, has been promoting an ambitious program to develop electric cars in order to reduce Indonesia?s heavy reliance on oil fuels. It hopes that the program will also help protect the environment by reducing the carbon emissions.

He noted that the government would start the mass production of electric vehicles in 2014. But automotive experts have doubted that the government?s program will succeed as no major auto producers are involved in the project.(*)