Minister Test Drive Of Electric Bus

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Research and Technology Minister Gusti M Hatta test-drove an Indonesian electric bus here on Tuesday to mark the 17th National Technology Awakening Day.

"This electric bus has various advantages, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, because there are no emissions, and low operating costs," he said here on Tuesday.

The development of the national electric bus has provided momentum at the right time, before the entry of similar foreign products into Indonesia's large market, Gusti added.

He expressed hope that the electric bus could be mass-produced by 2014.

Also taking part in the test drive, as passengers, were Transportation Minister EE Mangidaan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Rudi Rubiandini, and Head of the Indonesian Research and Science Institute (LIPI) Lukman Hakim.(IGT)