20-5-2024 (JAKARTA) Elon Musk is contemplating Indonesia’s proposal to establish an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in the country, following a meeting with President Joko Widodo on Monday. This development was disclosed by Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister of Investment, Luhut Pandjaitan, after the high-profile meeting.
Musk has yet to comment on the proposal. The meeting between the Tesla CEO and President Widodo took place in Bali, where both had attended the World Water Forum earlier that day.
“We have extended an offer to construct an EV battery plant here, focusing on precursor cathode production. Elon Musk has expressed interest and will consider it,” Minister Luhut Pandjaitan informed reporters.
President Widodo also encouraged Musk to explore the possibility of investing in an artificial intelligence (AI) centre in Indonesia. Additionally, he reiterated a previous invitation for SpaceX to establish a launchpad on Biak island in Papua province.
For years, Indonesia has been courting Tesla to invest in its burgeoning EV sector, leveraging the nation’s substantial nickel reserves, which are vital for battery production.
In a related development, Musk launched SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, for Indonesia’s health sector on Sunday. The service is now commercially available, with initial focus on the country’s remote and underserved regions.
SpaceX’s Starlink dominates the satellite internet market, boasting control of approximately 60% of the nearly 7,500 satellites currently orbiting Earth. This significant presence underscores its leading role in providing satellite internet services globally.
