Image: CATL
A landmark joint venture, comprising CBL (a subsidiary of CATL), Indonesia's state-owned mining company PT ANTAM Tbk (ANTAM), and Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC), has officially commenced construction on a comprehensive nickel resource and battery industry chain project in Indonesia. The groundbreaking ceremony was witnessed by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and numerous prominent figures from Chinese and Indonesian business and political circles.
With a total planned future investment of nearly USD 6 billion, the project spans over 2,000 hectares across two primary locations:
In North Maluku (East Halmahera): Nickel ore mining, smelting, battery materials manufacturing, and battery recycling facilities.
In West Java (Karawang): The construction of a state-of-the-art battery manufacturing facility.
Upon reaching full operational capacity, the integrated project is designed to produce enough batteries annually to power 200,000 to 300,000 electric vehicles (EVs), with plans for further expansion into the energy storage systems (ESS) market. The initial phase of the Karawang battery cell factory alone targets an annual production capacity of 6.9 GWh.
The Karawang facility will be constructed to the high standards of CATL's "Lighthouse Factories," integrating cutting-edge technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G connectivity, and digital twin systems. This strategic initiative is set to significantly accelerate the adoption of electric mobility and the global energy transition, benefiting both Indonesia and international markets.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto hailed the project during the ceremony, stating, "This is an extremely important and mutually beneficial collaboration, representing a large-scale project with major breakthroughs. Through this initiative, we will be able to produce renewable and eco-friendly energy that the entire world is pursuing."
