Prabowo Subianto is set to inaugurate the electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Karawang, West Java, following a construction window that began with a June 29, 2025 groundbreaking, according to announcements.
The Bottom Line
- Capital Deployment: The Karawang facility represents a total investment footprint reaching approximately US$ 1.2 billion, equivalent to roughly Rp 21.19 trillion.
- Supply Chain Depth: The facility joins operational sites in Halmahera and existing Hyundai infrastructure to cement an end-to-end domestic supply chain spanning raw extraction, smelting, HPAL, precursor creation, cathode production, and final cell fabrication.
Karawang Facility Realizes Integration Milestones
The manufacturing asset, managed by PT Contemporary Amperex Technology Indonesia Battery (CATIB) as a joint venture between the Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC) and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) alongside state-owned miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam), began active production in July 2026. Speaking at the Presidential Palace on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed that the site is fully operational and scheduled for formal inauguration by President Prabowo in the immediate future.
The development scales up national processing capabilities by linking domestic nickel mining directly to high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) plants and cell manufacturing lines. The project complements prior investments, including the PT HLI Green Power facility in Karawang and newly operational facilities in Halmahera backed by Chinese capital, establishing a vertically integrated industrial cluster.
| Project / Facility | Key Partners | Primary Output | Capacity / Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karawang EV Battery Plant | IBC, CATL, Antam | Battery Cells | 15 GWh (approx. 250,000 EVs) |
| Halmahera Processing Site | IBC, CATL | Material & Precursors | US$ 600 million investment |
| HLI Green Power Facility | Hyundai, LG | Battery Cells | 10 GWh |
Broader Infrastructure Commitments Across the Archipelago
Alongside industrial expansion in West Java, presidential priorities target energy access gaps in remote regions. The upcoming presidential itinerary features the formal rollout of the 2025 rural electrification initiative across Sulawesi. Government figures indicate that approximately 1,413 distinct points will be inaugurated to address infrastructure deficits.
/data/photo/2026/10/29/6ae33255ee25b.jpg "Photo: Kompas")
Bahlil noted during the Thursday briefing that nearly 11,000 villages and hamlets across Indonesia still lack reliable grid access. By synchronizing heavy industrial downstream policies with regional electrification rollouts, the administration aims to balance capital-intensive mineral processing with foundational public utilities.
