UNDIP, Surabaya (November 25, 2025) – Universitas Diponegoro once again recorded an outstanding achievement at the PLN Innovation & Competition in Electricity (ICE) 2025. In the competition held at ITS Surabaya on 21–23 November 2025, Keris Diponegoro Team from the Faculty of Engineering won 1st place in the Race subcategory and 2nd place in the Engineering Design subcategory of the Rally Micro EV Car competition. This accomplishment reaffirms UNDIP’s commitment to presenting competitive electric vehicle innovations that benefit society.
PLN ICE is an innovation competition organized by PT PLN (Persero) to encourage the development of ideas and prototypes for electric vehicles and electricity-based products. This year, four categories were contested: Drag Motor EV, Electric Gokart Race, Rally Micro EV Car, and Electric Energy Startup. Out of 47 finalist teams representing 18 top universities in Indonesia, the Keris Diponegoro team was the only team from UNDIP that advanced to the final round.
In this year’s competition, the Keris Diponegoro team introduced an electric vehicle prototype called MUV (Micro Utility Vehicle)—a compact microcar EV designed with emphasis on commercial utility, efficiency, and safety. The MUV features a signature Yellow Kinetic color, engineered to withstand technical challenges while meeting strict regulations, including national safety standards and roadworthy electric vehicle criteria.
The prototype was developed over three intensive months by five UNDIP students: Alda Mahira Dewi Candra (Team Leader), Andre William Aserto, Dhiyanudin Nabil, Arga Arta Alam, and Nico Piere Simamarta. Their work ranged from the design stage and frame fabrication to electrical system integration and performance testing. The project received funding support from PLN’s Research and Development Center (Puslitbang PLN) and direct guidance from Prof. Ir. Sulistyo, M.T., Ph.D.
Despite being first-time participants in the competition, the Keris Diponegoro team boldly chose the most challenging class—the Microcar EV category. This decision was driven by their ambition to offer a design solution that excels not only technically but also holds strong potential for real-world industrial applications.
In their debut at PLN ICE, the Keris Diponegoro team’s hard work paid off with two prestigious podium finishes. This achievement proves that UNDIP students’ innovations have reached a competitive standard, capable of standing alongside those of other leading universities.
Team Leader Alda Mahira emphasized the importance of sustaining the Microcar EV category and encouraging industry involvement in product development.
“The Micro Utility Vehicle we built has been proven safe and roadworthy. We hope this event becomes a bridge for translating student innovations into real industrial products,” Alda said.
Meanwhile, Dhiyanudin Nabil, one of the team members, expressed his pride in the achievement, describing it as an unforgettable moment for the entire team. “Of course, we are delighted, moved, and did not expect that our efforts—from proposal preparation to finally receiving funding, entering the final race, and securing two podiums—would pay off. We are proud to bring honor to UNDIP at PLN ICE 2025,” he said.
He also mentioned that the development process of the MUV prototype was not always smooth. Various technical challenges had to be addressed, from frame issues to electrical system testing. “There were certainly obstacles. But we always emphasized teamwork when facing problems—we analyzed them together and found solutions together,” Nabil explained.
As a closing note, he expressed hope that the Keris Diponegoro team can continue participating and expand the categories they enter in upcoming competitions. “We hope that we can continue joining events like this. We would be grateful if, in PLN ICE 2026, we could add more categories and achieve even better results,” Nabil said.
With this success, UNDIP has once again reinforced its strategic role in supporting clean energy innovation and the development of the national electric vehicle industry. The achievements of the Keris Diponegoro team represent UNDIP’s tangible contribution to building an impactful Diktisaintek ecosystem and its commitment to being a noble and valuable institution for society. (Public Communication/UNDIP/ DHW)
