Vespa love affair: Indonesians turn vintage scooters electric

JAKARTA - When Indonesian executive Heret Frasthio takes his antique 1957 VL Vespa for a ride, its white paint peeling off, the usual fumes and hum of the free-spirited scooters cannot be seen or heard.

The two-wheeler is just one of the vintage models converted by his company as it tries to turn a love for the Italian icon into an environmentally friendly pursuit.

Indonesia has long suffered from air pollution partly driven by its addiction to inefficient, old cars and scooters, including nearly one million Vespas as of 2022, according to the country's Vespa Club.

"Vespa has a unique design. It has a historical and nostalgic value. It's not just a vehicle, it's also fashion," said Frasthio, chief executive of Elders, which converts the older bikes into electric vehicles.

The country's leaders are pushing for more EVs on its roads, with a target of 13 million electric motorcycles by 2030 -- ambitiously far from the current number of 160,000, according to transport ministry data.

But Elders is playing its part in what the government hopes will be the early stages of an electric vehicle revolution.

Frasthio says the firm has converted and sold around 1,000 Vespas across the country since its founding in 2021 and one day aims to develop its own electric scooter.

Once converted, a Vespa's fully charged electric battery can last 60-120 kilometres (37-74 miles), and up to 200 kilometres for an upgraded battery.

"This electric Vespa can be a solution for countries that require low emissions from motorcycles," Frasthio said.

- Clean contribution -

Yet pricing remains a major stumbling block in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

Frasthio's proud but humble Vespa cost $34,000 to buy before conversion.

A brand-new Vespa Elettrica imported from Italy can cost 198 million rupiah ($11,750) and the European company already sells a range of electric scooters in the continent.

But for those who want to stay retro, there are kits to convert to vintage scooters to electric that cost between $1,500 and $3,900, Frasthio said.

The chance to switch is attracting customers who want a fashionable ride without contributing to noise and air pollution.

One of them is Hendra Iswahyudi, who bought a converted Vespa from Frasthio's firm, remembering the effort of riding an old model as a student.

"You would turn on the ignition and take a shower while waiting for the engine to be ready," the 56-year-old said.

Riding an antique Vespa from the 1960s without the pollution and the noise in Jakarta's heavy traffic has also earned him curious looks.

"People who like Vespa came to have a closer look and told me that my scooter was very cool," he said.

The civil servant supports the niche industry for converting scooters, despite government plans to put a new fleet of electric vehicles on the road.

"I feel comfortable riding the Vespa. I feel like I've contributed to the clean air," he said.

- Nostalgia -

But a yearning for the nostalgia of an original Vespa is keeping some from taking the cleaner option, instead choosing to keep the roar of an older engine.

"I prefer the authentic Vespa with its original noise because it's what makes it unique. You can hear it coming from afar," said Muhammad Husni Budiman, an antique Vespa lover.

"It's classic and nostalgic."

The 39-year-old entrepreneur fell in love with antique Vespas when he was young and started to collect some from the 1960s and 70s.

In 2021, he established a Jakarta-based club for Vespas produced in the 1960s that now boasts hundreds of members.

Despite trying an electric Vespa, Budiman's club is mainly for those who love original models.

Frasthio is conscious that some Vespa lovers like Budiman will be hesitant about the EV uptake.

But he was quick to dispel the theory that his company was putting the conventional scooters they adore in a bad light.

"We are not trying to lecture anyone about pollution issues," he said.

"We are just offering, for those not used to manual motorcycles, that electric motorbikes can be a solution." - AFP