In 2022, there was a significant increase in the number of Indonesians searching for keywords related to environmental issues on Google. This is recorded in Google's report titled *Year in Search 2022: Indonesia*.
"It's fascinating to note that this year's report highlights numerous moments for deep reflection," said Yolanda Sastra, Head of Ads Marketing Google Indonesia, in a press release on Thursday (February 16, 2023).
According to the report, in 2022, the search trend for the keyword "electric vehicles" increased by 80% compared to 2021 (year-on-year/YoY).
Increased search trends were also observed for keywords such as "sustainability," "carbon footprint," and "food waste," with details as shown in the graph.
"People are finding that purchasing products that support sustainability, such as electric cars, can help them manage their expenses better, especially with rising gasoline prices," stated the Google team in their report.
According to data from the Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers Association (Gaikindo), electric vehicle sales in Indonesia in 2022 indeed surged, even reaching the highest record in the last five years.
The sales trend for electric vehicles is also expected to continue strengthening in the future, along with the government's planned subsidies.
In December 2022, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita mentioned the planned amount of subsidies or incentives for electric vehicle buyers as follows:
* Electric cars: Rp80 million
* Hybrid cars: Rp40 million
* Electric motorcycles: Rp8 million
* Conversion of gasoline motorcycles to electric motorcycles: Rp5 million
However, the amount of the subsidy is still under review and has not been officially decided. Subsidies will only be given for the purchase of electric vehicles produced in Indonesia.