ASIATODAY.ID, KARAWANG – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, accompanied by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, officially launched the groundbreaking of Asia’s largest integrated electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem, marking a major milestone in Indonesia’s industrial transformation, June 29, 2025 ago.
The project is a strategic partnership between PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTAM), Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), and a consortium of Chinese companies: CATL, Brunp, and Lygend—collectively known as the ANTAM–IBC–CBL Consortium.
Construction is being carried out simultaneously at two locations: Karawang, West Java, for the battery cell plant, and East Halmahera, North Maluku, for nickel-based upstream processing. This initiative positions Indonesia as the first country globally to develop a fully integrated nickel-based EV battery supply chain—from mining to manufacturing.
Minister Bahlil stated that the project will initially produce 6.9 gigawatt hours (GWh) of EV batteries, with plans to scale up to 15 GWh, equivalent to powering 250,000 to 300,000 electric cars annually.
“Under the President’s direction, this project will not only produce EV batteries but also energy storage systems for solar power. We discussed this until late last night, and the consortium has agreed to localize all production in Indonesia,” said Bahlil in Karawang.
Strategic Project Breakdown
This integrated battery ecosystem is set to become a driving force behind Indonesia’s downstream nickel industry. In the Feni Haltim (FHT) industrial zone in East Halmahera, five major subprojects are being developed:
Nickel Mining
Investment: USD 500 million (IDR 7.6 trillion)
Capacity: 10 million tons/year
RKEF (Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace)
Investment: USD 1.4 billion (IDR 22.4 trillion)
Capacity: 88,000 tons of FeNi/year
HPAL (High Pressure Acid Leach)
Investment: USD 1.9 billion (IDR 30.4 trillion)
Capacity: 55,000 tons of MHP/year
Cathode Battery Materials
Investment: USD 700 million (IDR 11.2 trillion)
Annual capacity: 16,000 tons of nickel sulfate, 30,000 tons of precursors, and 30,000 tons of cathode active materials
Battery Recycling Plant
Investment: USD 200 million (IDR 3.2 trillion)
Capacity: 20,000 tons/year
In Karawang, West Java, the battery cell project is being developed with a total investment of USD 1.2 billion (IDR 19.2 trillion) and a production capacity of 15 GWh.
With total investments nearing USD 6 billion (approx. IDR 96 trillion), the project is expected to create over 35,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly. Additionally, it is projected to contribute up to USD 42 billion annually to Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (AT Network)
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