Indonesia’s coordinating minister of investment revealed that Elon Musk will entertain the idea of establishing an electric vehicle battery plant in the country, following a meeting between the Tesla CEO and President Joko Widodo on Monday. Musk was not immediately reachable for comment following Minister Luhut Pandjaitan’s statement to the press.
The encounter between Musk and Widodo occurred in Bali, Indonesia, after both attended the World Water Forum on Monday. “We extended an offer for the possibility of constructing an EV battery plant here, focusing on precursor cathode. Musk will give it consideration,” Luhut remarked. Widodo also urged Musk to explore investment opportunities in an AI center within the Southeast Asian nation and proposed SpaceX’s construction of a launchpad on Biak island in Indonesia’s Papua province, a proposition previously presented by the government.
For years, Indonesia’s government has endeavored to attract Tesla for the establishment of manufacturing facilities associated with electric vehicles, leveraging the country’s abundant nickel resources to develop its EV sector.
On Sunday, Musk inaugurated SpaceX’s satellite internet service for the healthcare sector in Indonesia. While Starlink is now commercially available, the government intends to prioritize its services in remote and underdeveloped regions. SpaceX’s Starlink, which commands a majority share of roughly 60% among the approximately 7,500 satellites orbiting Earth, holds a dominant position in the satellite internet sector.
