Matotonan Village is located in the upstream region of South Siberut District. To visit this village, one typically has to travel via river using a small boat called a "pong-pong," due to the extreme and hazardous road conditions, especially during the rainy season. The roads become very slippery, leading to many accidents. Additionally, the rivers frequently flood, damaging or washing away connecting bridges, making river travel a safer, albeit longer, option.
On Saturday, December 2, 2023, the ITB Community Service Team, led by Mr. Bismo Jelantik Joyodiharjo and team members Eljihadi Alfin and Farras Taufiqurrazak from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, made another trip to Matotonan Village in the South Siberut District, Mentawai Islands Regency. This time, the ITB team brought the Modultrax v2m, an electric motorcycle designed by ITB lecturers that recently won the Good Design Award. The Modultrax v2m is specifically designed for challenging terrains like those in Matotonan to facilitate mobility and support community activities in remote areas. This electric vehicle also offers a solution to fuel access issues commonly faced by Indonesia's outer islands.
In Matotonan, the Modultrax can be used to transport harvested crops from the fields to the pong-pong docks. It can also serve as an emergency vehicle for the village, independent of fuel, for urgent trips to Muara Siberut. Moreover, the removable battery of the Modultrax can be used as an alternative power source in emergencies.
The introduction of the Modultrax v2m in Matotonan Village is expected to provide safe, terrain-appropriate, environmentally friendly transportation that does not rely on often-interrupted fuel supplies. It is equipped with features to optimize community activities, aiming to improve local transportation and support sustainable development in the area