President Prabowo Subianto officially launched the groundbreaking of Indonesia’s largest integrated electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem in Karawang, West Java, marking a significant milestone for Southeast Asia. With a total investment of USD 5.9 billion (IDR 96.04 trillion), this strategic project is a collaboration between state-owned PT Aneka Tambang (Antam), PT Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), and China-based Ningbo Contemporary Brunp Lygend Co. Ltd. (CBL), affiliated with CATL, Brunp, and Lygend. Prabowo emphasized the historical value of this achievement, attributing it to the long-standing vision of Indonesia’s past presidents—from Soekarno to Joko Widodo—and highlighting the importance of honoring their contributions.
This vast project comprises six joint ventures (JVs) across the entire EV battery value chain. The upstream segment includes nickel mining and processing facilities in Halmahera, while the downstream segment covers battery material manufacturing, cell production in Karawang and AIH, and battery recycling—planned to be operational by 2031. Production capacities are impressive: up to 15 GWh/year of battery cells and 20,000 tons of recycled metals. The cooperation reflects a strong partnership with China and a significant leap in Indonesia’s industrial transformation. Prabowo praised the initiative as a groundbreaking move that demonstrates Indonesia’s seriousness in energy independence and industrial modernization.
