Indonesia’s Investment Push Pays Off with a Tesla Visit in January 2021

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – A team from US auto company Tesla will be visiting Indonesia in January 2021 in response to efforts by the Widodo Administration to woo the company to invest in the Southeast Asian country.

The news was announced by Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan.

“There have been strong interest in investment from Tesla in Indonesia.”

Read also: Hyundai and LG Considering Car Battery Production in Indonesia

Luhut expressed his confidence that Indonesia has massive potential in becoming a producer of battery-powered electric vehicles ahead of the US company’s arrival.

He added that several international investors specializing in battery-powered electric cars have also expressed their interest to invest in Indonesia.

Indonesian state-owned enterprise Wijaya Karya is a domestic investor for the country’s electric motorbikes, electricity, and manufacturing industries.

“Hyudai invested in Indonesia for the manufacture of the base of electric vehicles such as Bi-Hi for electric buses.”

Read also: Indonesian Transportation Minister Endorses Electric Cars

“LG Chem, CATL, and VMB New Energy have shown an interest to establish a factory for the raw materials used in Lithium batteries.”

Tesla’s Elon Musk responded positively to an invitation from Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo on December 11, 2020, during which both parties shared their views on the electric car industry and its main component, electric batteries.

Jokowi invited Musk to invest in Indonesia for the production of electric cars but to also assess whether the country may be suitable as a SpaceX launching pad.

Musk said that he will send a team to Indonesia to explore the options.

(Writer: Ade Miranti Karunia | Editor: Ambaranie Nadia Kemala Movanita)

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2020/12/18/054348026/luhut-tesla-sampaikan-minat-yang-kuat-berinvestasi-di-ri