Maleo: Indonesia’s National Car

Indonesia’s national car or sometimes called as mobnas (mobil nasional) is a made in Indonesia car. Its characteristic is low cost and environmentally friendly. Indonesia has reiterated its commitment to lead the largest automotive market in ASEAN in 2012.

National markets should be offered a car at an affordable price and environmentally friendly (low cost and green car). This step is again sought the government - in this case the Ministry of Industry - along with several manufacturers in the country.

"If next year I'm still not sure, but if the 2012's for sure. From my calculations, low cost products and a green car had started to be marketed in 2012 and it will boost national sales," said Director General of Transport Equipment and Telematics Ministry of Industry (Kepermenperin) Budi Darmadi few days ago. Indonesia’s national car market reached 603,744 units per year.





To pursue its commitment, Indonesia develops some cars. One of it is Maleo.

Male was developed by BJ Habibie in 1996 with the benchmark price target of not more than Rp. 30 million ($3000). The car equipped with an engine with a capacity of 1300 cc. Over 80% of its component is locally made.

From the early lauch of Maleo, Indonesia’s government via BPIS embraced the idea to make the car to boot Indonesia as the largest automotive industry in ASEAN.

Dr B.J. Habibie the Indonesian Minister for Research and Technology, has stated in the Indonesian Parliament that the Orbital Combustion Process (OCP) engine has been selected as the powerplant for the Indonesian national car project named Maleo.

Dr Habibie was speaking at a parliamentary hearing with the House Commission X on Science, Research and Development, National Planning and the Environment. Maleo is designed as a passenger car and is set for production in 1998.

Fitted with the 1.2 litre three cylinder OCP engine, the vehicle will deliver world-class performance and fuel economy. The specifications for the powerplant will allow the Indonesian vehicle to meet domestic and export certification requirements.

Dr Habibie said he would boost the development of this national car now that the project had entered the second stage.

''We have finished the first phase of the design development by Badan Pengelola Industri Strategis (BPIS, Indonesia's agency for strategic industries) in cooperation with Millard Design Australia, an automotive engineering design company,'' he said.

''The activities in phase two (the detailed design engineering and testing) will be finished at the end of 1997. Some 30 unit prototypes will be ready next year,'' Dr Habibie said. ''A large part of these activities will involve technical expertise from Indonesia's strategic industries.''

Orbital Engine Corporation, www.orbeng.com, today confirmed it has been working with Indonesian government officials and the Maleo engineering team since mid 1995. Negotiations are at an advanced stage to establish a consortium between Orbital and its Indonesian partners to mass produce the engine for Maleo in Indonesia.

The 1.2 litre OCP engine, which was successfully launched into the Australian market earlier this year under the Genesis program, will be customised in conjunction with the Indonesian engineering team for the Maleo vehicle.

It is intended that the plant will supply the Maleo vehicle and other Indonesian engine requirements as well as export opportunities for engines and components from this high volume plant.

The Company said that the State Government of Western Australia played an important role in winning this mandate. Mr Hendy Cowan, the Deputy Premier of Western Australia, said the State Government welcomed the opportunity of adding the OCP powered Maleo vehicle, with its reduced pollution levels, to its vehicle fleet leasing list when approved for the Australian market.

The Genesis program was funded by R&D syndication and demonstrates the real value to Australia in commercialising locally developed, leading-edge technology.