JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia plans to export nickel-based material used to make electric vehicle batteries to the United States next month, its energy minister said on Friday.
Bahlil Lahadalia said Indonesia would provide the material, known as EV battery precursor, to U.S. electric carmaker Tesla, but did not give details on the volume involved.
“We will export precursor to the U.S. by next month to Tesla, from Weda Bay,” Bahlil said.
Previously, Indonesia has reported exporting EV precursor to China.
Indonesia aims to develop its EV industry and has for years been wooing Tesla to invest in battery making and car manufacturing in the country, trying to leverage its rich reserves of nickel, which can be processed for use in EV batteries.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Bernadette Christina and Ananda Teresia; Editing by John Mair and Mark Potter)
