ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The electric car (EV) battery factory located in Karawang Regency, West Java, is planned to start commercial production this April.
This was stated by the Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) of the Republic of Indonesia, Bahlil Lahadalia.
Mass production from the factory owned by PT Hyundai LG Indonesia Green Power – a joint venture that combines South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai, Seoul-based battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution and Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC) – will make Indonesia a battery cell producer The first EV in Southeast Asia.
The first phase of this project requires an investment of US$ 1.1 billion, covering the production of EV battery cells of 10 gigawatts per hour (GWh). This equates to 32.6 million battery cells, enough to power 150,000 EVs.
“The first 10 gigawatt per hour factory will start production in April 2024. We have started construction of the second factory,” said Bahlil at a press conference in Jakarta, Monday, March 18 2024.
In the second stage, Hyundai-LG aims to increase production capacity to 20 GWh, starting in 2025. Battery cells produced by Hyundai LG Indonesia Green Power will use minerals, one of which is nickel.
The 2024 US geological survey report stated that Indonesia’s nickel reserves reached 24 million metric tons, making it the largest in the world.
Hyundai already has a production factory in Cikarang, West Java. Hyundai Motors Indonesia recently revealed that it will launch a new EV model equipped with locally produced batteries this year.
Indonesia wants to build a comprehensive EV battery ecosystem to support its e-mobility ambitions. During the press conference, Bahlil also commented on other aspects of the plan.
Bahlil claimed that projects related to cathodes, precursors and smelting would start this year, although he did not provide further details.
Bahil also mentioned Antam’s partnership with the Chinese battery company, CATL.
For your information, at the end of last year, Antam completed a series of agreements related to the EV battery ecosystem with Hong Kong CBL, which is part of CATL. This collaboration includes the construction of a high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) facility. (ATN)
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