Why Aletra Retains Many Physical Buttons in the L8 EV

KatadataOTO – Many electric car options can be bought in Indonesia. One of them is the Aletra L8 EV.

However, there is one unique thing about this Electric Vehicle (EV). It still retains many physical buttons.

These buttons are used to operate various features, such as the AC, mirrors, audio, and transmission.

This is certainly uncommon in modern electric cars, as the features mentioned above are typically operated via an all-digital touchscreen.

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"We had the option to use a screen like the others, because Chinese brands are all heading in that direction," said Christo Antyo, Product Manager of Aletra in Magelang, on Friday (10/10).

Christo confirmed that the decision was not just about design, but rather a result of understanding the habits of car users in the country.

So they prioritize the ease and practicality for Aletra L8 EV users during their journey.

"Indonesians get into a car and immediately press the AC button. Now, imagine if the screen has to load first, it would be like a sauna in there," Christo continued.

Christo further explained that the presence of physical buttons in an electric car still has advantages, especially regarding safety and ergonomics.

When driving, drivers can feel for the button's position without having to look away from the road.

"It turns out we still need buttons, especially when driving. With a button, you can feel for it without looking, whereas on a screen, sometimes you don't know what you're pressing," Christo added.

On the other hand, the presence of physical buttons is also considered safer for important functions, such as the transmission and mirror adjustments.

"When driving, for example, accidentally pressing the wrong thing because everything is on the screen can be risky. With a physical button, the driver knows its position and shape," Christo asserted.

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For your information, the Aletra L8 EV is equipped with a drive motor producing 120 kW, or the equivalent of 161 hp. The peak torque reaches 240 Nm.

It is then paired with a 64.74 kWh short blade bulletproof battery. It is claimed to be able to take the Aletra L8 EV as far as 540 km on a single charge (CLTC).

Meanwhile, the top speed is 160 km per hour. It can accelerate from a standstill to 100 km per hour in just 10.7 seconds.