There’s still a long way to go before we see the widespread use of electric vehicles in the Philippines and in neighboring ASEAN markets. But if American carmaker and EV giant Tesla will have its way, then we might be seeing more electric vehicles arrive in our region sooner rather than later.
According to a report by Paultan.org, various media outlets have quoted the Minister of Investment and Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board head Bahlil Lahadalia saying that Tesla has “agreed to build a battery and EV factory at an industrial complex in the Central Java province.”
Just a few months ago, Tesla’s plans to build a facility in Indonesia reportedly fell through. But now, Lahadalia has confirmed that Tesla will enter the country this year, albeit he left out any specifics whatsoever.
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Tesla has yet to make an official announcement as well, but it’s highly likely for the company to build a plant in Indonesia seeing as the nickel-rich country has banned the export of raw nickel. If Tesla wants its own nickel supply, the company will have to use the resource to build a final product inside Indonesia.
Paultan.org says a vehicle plant isn’t a sure thing, though it would make sense for Tesla to build one along with the massive battery factory for better supply-chain integration. If this actually pushes through, Indonesia could well be on its way to becoming the second ASEAN country with Tesla retail presence. It could also open doors for countries like ours to start ramping up electric-vehicle imports.
