Indonesia signs US$9.8b EV battery deal with LG Group unit

Jakarta

INDONESIA and a unit of South Korean firm LG Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on a US$9.8 billion electric vehicle (EV) battery investment deal, the head of Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board said.

The deal was signed on Dec 18 and includes investments across the EV supply chain, the board head, Bahlil Lahadalia said on Wednesday.

An official at LG Energy Solution, a unit of LG Group, South Korea's fourth-largest conglomerate, confirmed it had agreed on an MOU but could not provide details or the deal's value. LG Group in Seoul referred Reuters to its affiliate.

Mr Bahlil said the agreement made Indonesia the first country in the world to integrate the electric battery industry from mining to producing electric car lithium batteries.

"We have signed an MOU for the construction of an integrated electric battery factory from upstream to downstream," Mr Bahlil said.

"Mines, smelters, precursors, cathodes, cars to recycling facilities will be built in Indonesia," he said, adding that the project will be located in North Maluku and Central Java.

Under the MOU, at least 70 per cent of the nickel ore used to produce the EV batteries must be processed in Indonesia, he said.

Indonesia aims to start processing its rich supplies of nickel laterite ore for use in lithium batteries as part of a bid to eventually become a global hub for producing and exporting EVs.

Indonesia said earlier this month that US automaker Tesla , will send delegations to Indonesia in January to discuss potential investment in a supply chain for its electric vehicles. REUTERS