Minister of Investment, Head of the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia (left) accompanies President Jokowi (2nd left) on a visit to the electric vehicle battery production facility owned by PT HLI Hyundai LG Indonesia) Green Power in Karawang, West Java, on September 14, 2023. (Photo: antaranews.com) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo on September 14 announced that a battery plant for electric vehicles (EV) in Karawang, West Java, is expected to become the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
The factory is jointly owned by two Korean firms, namely Hyundai and LG, and is operated through their joint venture, Hyundai LG Industry (HLI) Green Power. With production scheduled to commence in early next year, the plant is expected to have a capacity of 30 million battery cells, sufficient for the production of an estimated 180,000 electric vehicles.
Speaking during a visit to the plant, Widodo emphasised that the establishment of the plant aligns with Indonesia’s ambitions to become the largest EV ecosystem in Southeast Asia and a crucial player in the global EV supply chain.
He further hinted at the potential for other countries to rely on Indonesia for their battery cell supplies once the country is fully integrated into the global supply chain.
Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that HLI Green Power has already initiated trial production at the factory, which was constructed two years ago. He confirmed that actual production is slated to commence from March 2024 and that the factory, upon completion, will have an installed capacity of 30 GWh./.
