ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesia’s state-owned mining company PT ANTAM Tbk is advancing a US$5.9 billion integrated electric vehicle (EV) battery project, reinforcing the country’s ambition to become a major global supplier of critical minerals and battery materials for the clean energy transition.
The project is a cornerstone of Indonesia’s downstream industrialization strategy, which seeks to generate greater value from the nation’s abundant nickel resources by expanding domestic processing and manufacturing instead of exporting raw materials.
ANTAM is developing the project with Indonesia Battery Corporation and HYD Investment Limited, whose members include Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd., EVE Energy Co., Ltd., and PT Daaz Bara Lestari Tbk.
The integrated development spans the entire EV battery value chain—from nickel processing and refining to precursor materials, battery cell manufacturing, and recycling—making it one of Southeast Asia’s largest battery investments.
Construction of the battery cell manufacturing facility in Karawang has reached approximately 90% completion and is expected to begin commercial operations by the end of July 2026.
The plant’s initial production capacity is planned to expand to at least 15 gigawatt-hours (GWh) annually, enough to supply batteries for approximately 250,000 electric vehicles each year.
The overall investment, valued at approximately US$5.9 billion (around IDR96 trillion), comprises six joint ventures covering upstream mining, intermediate processing, and downstream battery manufacturing, reflecting Indonesia’s strategy to build an integrated domestic EV battery ecosystem.
ANTAM President Director Untung Budiharto said the company remains committed to supporting the government’s downstream industrialization agenda and accelerating the development of Indonesia’s EV battery industry.
“Through integrated strategic projects, ANTAM seeks to increase value-added processing while supporting Indonesia’s ambition to strengthen its position in global industrial supply chains,” Budiharto said quoted on July 7, 2026.
The company’s latest operating results demonstrate the scale of its expansion.
In 2025, ANTAM produced 16.11 million wet metric tons (wmt) of nickel ore, up 62% from the previous year, while nickel ore sales rose 75% to 14.58 million wmt. The results marked the company’s strongest nickel ore production and sales performance in more than a decade following Indonesia’s ban on unprocessed mineral exports.
Despite regulatory adjustments affecting the domestic nickel industry, ANTAM maintained ferronickel production at 16,064 tonnes of contained nickel, while ferronickel sales totaled 10,528 tonnes during the year.
Home to the world’s largest nickel reserves and among its leading producers, Indonesia has placed downstream mineral processing at the center of its industrial strategy.
As global demand for EV batteries continues to rise, Jakarta is seeking to attract long-term investment in refining, battery materials, and advanced manufacturing, strengthening the country’s position in the global electric vehicle supply chain. (AT Network)
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