According to Luhut Pandjaitan, Indonesian Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister, lithium batteries making could start till 2023
EV battery plants should be built close to plants that will produce chemicals used in batteries. Luhut Pandjaitan said he intends to motivate shareholders to invest to lithium batteries production as soon as possible. “We are in coordination with GEM and CATL to build lithium battery plains in Indonesia,“ Pandjaitan said. Both GEM and CATL are Chinese companies focusing on lithium battery plants.
Indonesian Minister also stated they search for a suitable location in Western Java island where batteries plants could grow. The chemical plants should be built in the same location. “Everything must be finished by 2023,“ Pandjaitan stated. GEM expects to start trial production of Indonesian chemical plants in in August 2020 already. First phase of testing should be finished before the start of 2021.