The main goal is to strengthen our economy from the energy side,Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia will introduce incentives for electric vehicles (EVs) in June to reduce fuel imports as global oil prices remain elevated due to conflict in the Middle East, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said Tuesday.“It looks like the war will be long. That means our fuel consumption will remain high and at higher prices. If I can shift it to electricity (through EV incentives), it will significantly reduce our fuel imports,” Purbaya told reporters at the finance ministry.He said the government is preparing subsidies for 100,000 electric cars and 100,000 electric motorcycles this year.For motorcycles, the incentive will be 5 million rupiah (around US$285) per unit, while EV buyers will receive value-added tax breaks ranging from 40 percent to 100 percent, depending on battery type. Hybrid vehicles will not be eligible.Purbaya stressed the policy aims to change consumption patterns from oil to electricity, helping Indonesia cut crude and fuel imports.“It supports our economic resilience, so don’t see it as just a subsidy. The main goal is to strengthen our economy from the energy side,” he said.The minister noted that state utility PLN operates under a “take or pay” system, paying power producers even when electricity is not fully absorbed.Excess capacity, he said, could be optimized through wider EV adoption.Asked about the possible duration of the conflict, Purbaya said the Finance Ministry projects it could ease around September, coinciding with the U.S. election.However, noting that the conflict could last longer than expected, he said the government would continue monitoring developments and pursue fiscal savings in the coming months.Indonesia’s EV push comes as global oil prices are expected to remain high amid tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.The government hopes the new incentives will reduce reliance on imported fuel and strengthen national energy security.The EV program follows earlier measures to promote renewable energy and electrification as part of President Prabowo Subianto’s broader agenda to achieve energy self-sufficiency.