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President Jokowi wants Tesla to make electric cars in Indonesia
Indonesia had previously wooed Tesla for investment in its nickel industry, looking to produce and supply batteries for its EVs.
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Starry-eyed: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is accompanied by SpaceX founder Elon Musk at the SpaceX base in Boca Chica, Texas, the United States on May 14, 2022. (Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau/Laily Rachev)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has urged electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla to manufacture its cars, as well as batteries, in the country, in comments made to Bloomberg News on Thursday.
Indonesia had previously wooed Tesla for investment in its nickel industry, looking to produce and supply batteries for its EVs.
Jokowi said in an interview that Indonesia wants a "huge ecosystem of electric cars", rather than simply draw on its natural resources to make batteries.
He also said Indonesia was considering imposing a tax on nickel exports this year to boost revenue. Officials have previously said this could come as soon as the third quarter.
Indonesian officials have said Tesla has struck deals worth about $5 billion to buy nickel products from the country, and signed a five-year contract with nickel processing companies operating out of Morowali in Central Sulawesi island. The nickel materials will be used in Tesla's lithium batteries.
Jokowi met with Tesla founder Elon Musk earlier in May in an effort to drum up investment prospects and invited him to visit Indonesia in November.
Tesla representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
