Assessing the Impact of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) Adoption on Air Quality and Public Health in Indonesia

¹ Clean Air Asia, Jakarta, Indonesia
² Clean Air Asia, New Delhi, India
³ National Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Indonesia faces a major challenge in reducing transport emissions, which contribute significantly to air pollution and increased potential for health risks. Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) adoption is one of the national strategies to reduce emission from the transportation sector, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This study assesses the potential impacts of BEV adoption on air pollution and health co-benefit in Indonesia. National Vehicle Kilometre Travelled (VKT) data are used as an input for the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) tool to estimate PM2.5 emission and concentration, while the potential health impacts are assessed using AirQ+. Four scenarios with different levels of ambition were analysed: Business as Usual (BaU), scenario I (pessimistic), scenario II (moderate), and scenario III (ambitious), aligned with Indonesia’s net-zero target by 2060. Under BaU, PM2.5 emissions are projected to increase from 36.8 to 162.9 thousand metric tonnes, with concentrations rising from 20.2 to 95µg/m³ by 2060. Under BEV adoption scenario, emission and concentration are significantly reduced, potentially preventing up to 110,000 premature deaths under Scenario I and around 700,000 under net zero pathway (Scenarios II and III). These findings highlight the co-benefit of accelerating transport electrification for better air quality and public health in Indonesia.