PT Pertamina Power Indonesia will produce battery cells in a battery-based electric vehicle project. This Pertamina subsidiary will cooperate with other companies that are used to producing electric vehicles. "There is no single institution that makes cell batteries yet, we will work together with partners to build EV Batteries (electric vehicles)," said President Director of PT Pertamina Power Indonesia, Heru Setiawan in a BUMN Media Talk entitled EV Battery: The Future of Indonesia's Economy, virtually, Jakarta, Tuesday (2/2).
In this case, Pertamina Powe will make a battery pack which is part of the electric vehicle ecosystem as one of its components. Because in the battery-based electric vehicle business there are also other complementary industries such as dashboards, glass, and so on, which are derivatives of petrochemical products. In this industry, added Heru, power producers will also make adjustments to vehicle components. Because the battery as one component has a weight that is not light. "The current car is not too heavy, this EV will be heavy, so the other components will be reduced in weight," he said.
In addition, his party will also manage existing oil refineries to make components produced from petrochemicals. This derivative product can later be used to make other car components. So it is expected to reduce dependence on imports of petrochemical products. "This is in line with our refineries which will be produced for petrochemicals to make car components from body to tires. This is expected to reduce our dependence on imports," he concluded. Special Staff III of the Minister of BUMN, Arya Sinulingga, emphasized that the development of an electric vehicle battery ecosystem has nothing to do with politics. According to him, this plan will not at all become a political tool towards the next 2024 Presidential Election. Previously, the Deputy Chairman of Commission VII DPR RI, Ramson Siagian, in the RDP with the National EV Battery Project Acceleration Team on Monday (1/2/2021), reminded that this program should not just be political rhetoric towards 2024. "The political issue does not exist because there has been a holding establishment so far. It has nothing to do with it," said Arya in a virtual discussion about electric vehicle (EV) batteries on Tuesday (2/2/2021).
Arya revealed that Indonesia will also produce electric vehicle batteries before 2024. He emphasized that the electric vehicle battery ecosystem development project aims to transition energy. "The year 2023 is already in production, so this is real. If you use an electric motor later, you can use a battery made in Indonesia. So this is the goal for energy transition and we have been recognized by the world," he said.
He also mentioned that PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) has been recognized by the electric vehicle company from the United States (US), Tesla. Antam is one of the state-owned companies behind the Battery Holding Industry (IBH), which aims to develop the electric vehicle battery industry in the country. "On the Tesla website, one of the things expected for their joint partner is PT Antam. There's no way they want to play around like that," he continued. Last month, through the Tesla Conflict Minerals Report, it was found out that a number of smelter companies from around the world entered the Tesla production chain, and one of them was Antam.
Through the Tesla Conflict Minerals Report, it is known that a number of smelter companies from around the world have entered the Tesla production chain, including a state-owned company, PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam). In response to this, Antam admitted that he was very open to establishing partnerships with strategic partners, including Tesla, who was said to be investing in Indonesia in the near future. "In this regard, in principle, the company is open to establishing partnerships with strategic partners based on profitable profitability in developing downstream projects, both national and international," said SVP Corporate Secretary, Kunto Hendrapawoko to Liputan6.com, written on Wednesday, (27 / 1/2021). In addition, Antam also said that cooperation with partners who have access to technology is one of the ways the company develops its processed minerals. "Especially partners who have access to technology, market access capabilities, and funding to develop new processed mineral production from reserves owned by the Company," he said.
