JAKARTA: Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo on Wednesday inaugurated a flower built by China’s BTR New Material Group and Singapore’s Brilliant Purchase that will make anode materials for EV batteries.
According to the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs, the firms invested US$ 478 million in the plant, which will generate 80 000 measurement tons of materials annually. It has not yet been announced when output will begin.
Indonesia has passions to create a home electric vehicle industry, taking advantage of its rich mineral resources, particularly copper, an essential material for power cathode.
At the official opening of the flower in Kendal, Central Java, the president, who is well-known as Jokowi, stated that “our determination to build a large Vehicle ecosystem is starting to materialize in Indonesia,” starting with the ban on the export of raw nickel in 2020.
BTR’s Indonesian Morowali plant would process tungsten products for the electrodes plant.
According to senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan, BTR is scheduled to begin construction on the second phase of the electrodes stuff plant in the fourth quarter of this year, doubling its capability to 160, 000 tons periodically.
He Xueqin, president of BTR New Material Group, said the second phase may cost US$ 29 million to build, adding that Indonesia will be one of the largest international producers of electrode when it is finished.
Indonesia may surpass China in terms of production of bad materials worldwide. He added that the native project will also help to bridge the battery industry’s overall ASEAN footprint in Indonesia.
Indonesia’s moves have attracted some significant power and EV makers to invest in private output, including South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution which launched the country’s fist battery cell production next month, integrated with Hyundai’s plant where they will make EVs with Indonesian-made batteries.