Musk mulls Indonesian offer for EV battery plant

Elon Musk is open to the idea of building a battery plant in Indonesia to support the country’s electric vehicle goals, Reuters reported on Monday. This follows a meeting with President Joko Widodo in Bali.

Indonesia’s coordinating minister of investment, Luhut Pandjaitan, has offered to establish a precursor cathode plant for electric vehicle batteries. Elon Musk has not responded publicly, but Pandjaitan stated that he would consider the proposal.

Widodo proposed collaborating further by inviting Musk to invest in an AI centre in Indonesia and consider building a SpaceX launchpad on Biak Island in Papua province. These proposals align with Indonesia’s efforts to attract Tesla’s manufacturing expertise.

Indonesia’s abundant nickel reserves position it as a key player in electric vehicle development. The government has been actively pursuing Tesla to tap into its technology and knowledge for establishing a local EV industry.

Following recent Indonesian developments, SpaceX launched its Starlink satellite internet service for the country’s healthcare sector. The government plans to prioritise service rollout in remote and underdeveloped regions.