Video: Strengthening the Electric Battery Ecosystem, Indonesia Requires Investment and Technology

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Professor Evvy Kartini of BRIN and Founder of the National Battery Research Institute (NBRI) stated that Indonesia’s efforts to achieve its grand ambition of becoming a global electric battery industry player are moving forward. This progress is driven by the construction of electric vehicle (EV) battery factories, supported by large nickel reserves that must be processed through downstreaming to become high-value electric battery raw materials. Additionally, strengthening the upstream to downstream chain is necessary to ensure that the production of electric battery raw materials through to downstream products has a clear market. However, there are a number of challenges in developing Indonesia’s electric batteries, one of which is the influx of electric vehicles entering Indonesia based on non-nickel or LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries, which is not aligned with Indonesia’s nickel downstreaming programme. Therefore, regulations and efforts are needed to encourage the use of nickel-based vehicles, namely NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) or NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminum) battery types. Professor Evvy Kartini also highlighted the urgency of strengthening upstream nickel investment to provide added value to nickel ore, transforming it into material for electric batteries. Furthermore, the government also needs to develop an electric battery recycling processing industry to maintain sustainability. Evvy also mentioned the importance of Indonesia building local electric vehicle factories with technological mastery so that the local content of electric vehicles becomes greater.