NOA Bike - Electric Vehicle Rental Startup Supports Sustainable Tourism in Labuan Bajo
NOA Bike is a startup that provides an electric bike rental and operates in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara. With the business, they combine renewable energy and technology as a way to respond to the climate crisis and bring a positive impact to the environment.
Located in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, the business was initiated by Suharto Juma. As a native youth of the area, he wants to run a company that is also beneficial to local communities and contributes to the development of tourism while using renewable energy accessible to everyone.
“Just like its name, Noa which is in Ende's native language means easy, we want to introduce a digital platform that is economic and enough. Click to click and can be used immediately.” Suharto Juma, CEO of NOA Bike explained this when met at his office on Tuesday (02/08/2022).
NOA Bike has the vision to establish an electric bike ecosystem that is environmentally friendly. They begin to build this in the east part of Indonesia, Labuan Bajo. This is of course not without a reason as NOA Bike is trying to become a part of the solution for President Joko Widodo and the government’s initiative to develop Labuan Bajo as one of the super-priority tourism destinations, targeting one million visits per year.
There is an old saying, to prevent is better than to cure. Just like the saying, NOA Bike wants to preserve Labuan Bajo from pollution and make the island survive by keeping clean air with low pollution levels despite being visited by many tourists from both domestic and international.
The use of transportation with fossils in the Eastern Part of Indonesia is still minimum. Suharto Juma sees this as an opportunity to introduce the electric vehicle. “When electric vehicles are here earlier, we hope the public could be more familiar with it,” he added.
In collaboration with New Energy Nexus Indonesia - an initiative that works on funding the program or network that focuses on clean energy- NOA Bike managed to spread the ecosystem of electric bikes to Bali.
“After we settled here in Labuan Bajo and Bali, the next challenge is to get people to use the electric vehicle not only as a hobby but make it as a habit. The next thing is there must be a collaboration between the government to build lots of battery stations. Together we push people to use things, vehicles, or application that is good for the environment,” Suharto Juma said.
Establishing an electric vehicle ecosystem is not easy. NOA Bike faced many challenges from the local community, tourists, and even internal issues like the availability of technicians and digital technology experts. The answer to all of those problems is an education and knowledge transfer about electric vehicles. “Our team often does the campaign to the public and our friends. The mindset that electric vehicle is just like a toy, frail, and unreliable needs to change. All bikes from NOA Bike are proved to be able to conquer the high road elevation level in Labuan Bajo,” Suharto added.
At the moment, NOA Bike is still actively recruiting experts from Java to fill in the position of technician and IT for the app. However, for the long term, NOA Bike is investing in building human resources at Labuan Bajo. They held an internship program for students from Politeknik Elbajo Commodus, especially from the major International marketing and IT. Other than that, NOA Bike also opens an opportunity for high school students from SMKN 1 Labuan Bajo to have a work practice to make them competent in tourism.
NOA Bike’s goal to build an environmentally friendly ecosystem for electric vehicles can only be achieved with the help of their consumer. Their contribution and loyalty have been a huge help for NOA Bike to develop its service through the app since 2021.
As one of the startups that were supported by New Energy Nexus, NOA Bike has become a startup that isn’t only a pioneer in terms of the use of environmentally friendly technology but also inclusive as it is easily accessible for everyone. This is reflected by the user of NOA Bike who is from various backgrounds.
Diesy, a fashion shop owner in Labuan Bajo likes to use electric bicycles from NOA Bike to go around the town and exercise. “Electric bicycles are practical for sightseeing around the city. I often use it for exercise from Puncak Waringin to Kampung Ujung” Diesy said when we met her in front of her shop on Tuesday (02/08/2022)
Different from Regi, a teacher of tourism at SMK N 1 Labuan Bajo, she uses NOA Bike for education purposes. Students in the vocational school have to develop competence by doing field practice. Because of that, Regi often gives the students assignment to design a trip for tourism by utilizing the NOA Bike.
Another user is Fitri Ciptosai, a lecturer in the International Marketing Management Study Program at the Elbajo Commodus Poli Polytechnic. She admits that NOA Bike cultivates a cycling culture among students. “I am thankful for NOA Bike, as it brings the culture of cycling on campus. Especially with the special promo for students, ten thousand rupiahs for an hour is very helpful for them” Fitri said.
The collaboration between NOA Bike and Elbajo Commodus Polytechnic is also an effort to update a new knowledge for students. “This is such a futuristic industry, children who are doing an internship there, even if it seems like so far in the east, but can also experience e relevant technology and its implementation to other products such as city tour and ecotourism” she added.
Just like NOA Bike’s vision, Dwina, a freelancer in the tourism industry is also using NOA Bike to take part in protecting the environment. She uses NOA Bike because it’s freeing her from the air and noise pollution. “At first I was confused as it was a little bit different than the vehicle in general. But later I am addicted to using it as it is not producing any smoke, and not noisy as well” Dwina said. Not only go around enjoying the sunset, but Dwina also uses NOA Bike to meet her friends while collecting trash on the beach which is later recycled into souvenirs from Labuan Bajo.