Jonathan Philbert during the process of designing the Saka prototype

ITS Campus, ITS News — Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) has again succeeded in making creative innovations, namely by creating a modular electric motorcycle called Saka. This two-wheeled vehicle was created by Jonathan Philbert, an alumnus of Industrial Product Design (Despro) ITS to facilitate people in their activities and support the development of national transportation modes.

Explaining about his creation, the young man who is familiarly called John said that Saka is an electric motorbike product that aims to make it easier for people to do their activities. Saka itself means sturdy in Javanese which is a form of affirmation of the superior quality of the modular motorbike created by the best ITS graduate at the 130th Graduation last September.

John explained that the initial idea for the creation of Saka came from the concerns of one of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) from Bandung City named Jinggowati. As an MSME engaged in the food and beverage sector, Jinggowati had difficulty in choosing a mode of transportation. “This difficulty is caused by the absence of a mode of transportation that is 100 percent suitable for Jinggowati’s business process,” explained the young man from Bandung.

Furthermore, John revealed that Jinggowati needed a mode of transportation that allowed her to carry goods with varying weights and shapes. This condition was urged by one of Jinggowati’s business activities, namely delivering customized orders. In addition to these two criteria, the mode of transportation that Jinggowati hopes for must also be able to pass through narrow roads such as markets and alleys.

Visualization of Saka’s product that won the User Friendly Design Solution award at IIDSA 2024

In order to answer these concerns, John designed Saka as a two-wheeled vehicle with a storage function that can be changed in size. Using three main components, namely a modular frame, quick release attachment clasp, and a modular storage system, John made the modular function of the motorbike felt from the frame to the storage section. Thus making Saka a flexible motorbike.

With these three components, Saka can cover all business activities carried out by Jinggowati UMKM in terms of transportation. As a result, Saka can transport goods up to a capacity of 80 kilograms with various shapes and is able to weave through narrow alleys without the slightest difficulty.

As an electric bicycle, Saka is also capable of traveling 130 kilometers at a maximum speed of 95 kilometers per hour. John also said that Saka has been designed by considering safety and comfort features such as ergonomics, frame strength, ease of user access, and battery life.

The Saka electric modular motorbike prototype, designed by an ITS alumnus, is being put into practice carrying various types of goods.

This innovation has also won the Indonesia Industrial Design Student Award (IIDSA) 2024, some time ago. “This additional consideration may be one of the plus points that made me finally secure the best predicate in the User Friendly Design Solution category at IIDSA 2024,” said the former ITS Ambassador 2022 finalist proudly.

In the future, John hopes that Saka will not only be a modular electric motor that helps Jinggowati MSMEs, but can also be a solution for all community activities. In addition, with the success of Saka as a solution for Jinggowati MSMEs, John also hopes that the electric motor he created can be produced sustainably. (ITS PUBLIC RELATIONS)

Reporter: Ahmad Farhan Alghifari