Honda Claims Its Motorcycles Can Use Ethanol-Blended Fuel

KatadataOTO – The government's plan to use ethanol as a mixture in fuel oil has received a response from automotive manufacturers. One of them is Astra Honda Motor (AHM), which is the largest two-wheeled vehicle manufacturer in Indonesia.

The company with the flapping wing logo revealed it is not worried if the mixture is actually implemented. This is because they claim that the products currently sold are already designed to operate optimally even if the fuel is mixed with ethanol.

“Honda products sold now can already use up to E10 or 10 percent of the fuel,” said Ahmad Muhibbuddin, General Manager of Corporate Communication at PT AHM, to the media.

However, he admitted that this capability is only available in new vehicles. Meanwhile, older units have not been designed to use fuel mixed with ethanol.

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“I can't say from what year because it needs to be checked again. But what is clear is that the latest motorcycles can already use E10 fuel,” he then emphasized.

It was previously reported that the government plans to create new regulations for fuel in Indonesia. Even President Prabowo Subianto is said to have approved the mandatory ethanol mixture proposed by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).

“The President has agreed to plan for a mandatory 10 percent ethanol (E10),” said Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of ESDM, as reported by Antara, Tuesday (07/10).

With this policy, it is hoped that carbon emissions can be reduced and Indonesia's dependence on imported fuel can be suppressed. Thus, it is not impossible that the state's finances could improve.

The use of ethanol in fuel is actually not a new thing as it has been implemented in various countries. The content comes from plant materials such as sugarcane and corn, which are quite easy to find in Indonesia.

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The presence of ethanol can also reduce dependence on pure fossil fuels. It also supports the improvement of the community's economy by utilizing agricultural raw materials.

In other countries like Brazil, ethanol blending has been regulated in the Renewable Energy Directive or RED II with a blending percentage of 10 percent or E10.