Top image: Photo: Crisco 1492, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Electric vehicle charging in West Sumatra is growing far faster than the province’s small EV fleet might suggest. Charging transactions at public stations in the province rose about 4.5 times in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, and the electricity delivered through them rose roughly 4.4 times, according to figures presented when state utility PLN opened its first “SPKLU Center” charging hub in Padang on 1 October, Suara.com reported.
The opening follows a similar hub launched in Palembang, South Sumatra, last month, which we covered in South Sumatra’s EV fleet more than doubles as PLN opens Palembang charging hub. Together they show PLN pushing high-power charging beyond Java as owners start to drive further afield.
What opened in Padang
The SPKLU Center sits at PLN’s regional office for Central Sumatra in Padang and was inaugurated by West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansharullah, alongside Andriah Feby Misna, a director at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s electricity directorate, and PLN distribution director Arsyadany Ghana Akmalaputri, Padangkita reported.
- Five ultra-fast chargers rated at 120 kW each, for a combined 600 kW.
- According to Suara.com, a typical charge from 20% to 80% takes around 30 to 45 minutes.
- The province now has 102 public charging stations (SPKLU). Padangkita puts PLN’s share at 90; Suara.com gives 93.
Twelve more stations planned
Suara.com reported that 12 new SPKLU locations with a total of 17 charging units are planned across West Sumatra this year, in Padang, Bukittinggi, Payakumbuh and Solok. That would extend fast charging beyond the provincial capital to three of the province’s other main towns.
Padangkita reported that more than 580 electric vehicles were registered in the province as of August 2026, which officials said works out at roughly one public charging station for every six EVs, well ahead of the 1:17 ratio used as a benchmark. (By our own calculation, 580 vehicles across 102 stations is about 5.7 EVs per station.) Nationally, PLN said it runs more than 3,200 SPKLU handling around 700,000 transactions a month.
“Switching to electricity is our strategy to achieve Net Zero Emission by 2060, not just in transportation but also households.” – Andriah Feby Misna, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, via Padangkita (translated from Indonesian)
Governor Mahyeldi linked the hub to West Sumatra’s ambition to become a “Green Province” and said government vehicles will move to electric models. PLN also offered a two-week 50% discount on new connections and power upgrades to coincide with the launch, according to Padangkita.
What it means for buyers
For EV owners in West Sumatra, the practical change is a reliable, high-power option in the provincial capital and, if the 12-site plan is delivered, fast charging in Bukittinggi, Payakumbuh and Solok too. The low ratio of cars to chargers means queues should be rare for now, but coverage outside the main towns is still thin, so longer trips across Sumatra still need planning. Our guide to charging an EV in Indonesia explains public SPKLU charging, home charging and battery swapping.
Sources: Suara.com (5 Oct 2026); Padangkita (Oct 2026).