Yogyakarta's Alun-Alun Kidul Gets 80 Electric Pedicabs Under Bekalista Program
Yogyakarta's southern royal square, Alun-Alun Kidul, has a new way to get around. On July 16, 2026, the Indonesian government officially launched Bekalista, a fleet of electric pedicabs designed specifically for tourism in the area. The event brought together Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa and Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, the Yogyakarta Governor, who together introduced the vehicles to the public.
What Bekalista Is and How It Works
Bekalista is not simply a retrofitted becak. Each vehicle runs on a 750W BLDC hub electric motor with a planetary gear and carries a 48V, 30Ah LiFePO4 battery with a battery management system. The pedicab tops out at 18 km/h, though the operating standard is set at 15 km/h, and it can handle inclines of up to 10 percent. A full charge delivers up to 50 kilometers of range. Safety features include a dual braking system combining disc and mechanical brakes, along with reinforced 28-inch wheels.
Two variants are available. The Special Type offers a 90 cm wide seat suited to premium tourism routes and can carry two to three adults comfortably. The Classic model has a narrower 70 cm seat, making it more maneuverable through Yogyakarta's tighter lanes, with a two-adult capacity. Both variants share a maximum load limit of 350 kilograms.
The Ecosystem Behind the Fleet
The program covers more than the vehicles themselves. Twelve charging stations have been installed around the area, each capable of simultaneously charging two pedicabs via dual output sockets. Fast charging takes between two and two and a half hours. A mobile workshop and eight backup batteries round out the operational support, with a main workshop based at Yogyakarta State Vocational High School 3.
All fabrication, assembly, electrical work, and vocational training components were carried out entirely by local Yogyakarta labor. Eighty drivers are enrolled as beneficiaries of the program, with fifteen representing the group at the launch.
Minister Purbaya framed the initiative as community-based economic empowerment, stating that tradition should give direction to progress rather than block it. The program is a joint effort between central and regional government.
Why It Matters for Hosts
Independent guesthouses, homestays, and boutique hotels near Alun-Alun Kidul now have a concrete, story-worthy detail to share with guests. Travelers increasingly ask about low-impact ways to explore a destination, and Bekalista gives hosts a ready answer: a locally built, emission-free becak that keeps a cultural icon alive while reducing noise and exhaust around the square. Hosts can point guests toward the charging station locations as orientation landmarks and frame a Bekalista ride as part of an authentic Yogyakarta evening, rather than just a novelty. For operators running cultural or culinary walking itineraries around the kraton area, incorporating a Bekalista leg adds practical variety without requiring any third-party logistics.
This blog, Qontaktly, will continue tracking how the Bekalista rollout develops and what it means for the broader tourism experience in Yogyakarta's heritage corridor.
Details were first reported by Tempo.co, based on reporting by Pribadi Wicaksono, published July 16, 2026.
First reported by Yogyakarta Travel.