REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is conducting a study to build a battery electric vehicle (EV/electric vehicle) industry in Indonesia. TMC supports the acceleration of localization and electrification in Indonesia.

“Currently, it is still in the study stage of what needs to be realized, feasibility, it is up to the market,” said Vice President Director of PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) Bob Azam during a meeting with a number of media in Tokyo, Japan, Wednesday (25/10/2023) evening.

Bob explained that in order to localize the production of batteries, it would be necessary to produce at least a volume of 100 thousand units of an electric car. Meanwhile, the volume of EV production in Indonesia has only reached the range of 20,000 to 30,000 units per year.

To support the acceleration of localization and electrification in Indonesia, Bob said the government needs to provide deeper incentives for electric car consumers.

“If the market is incentivized it can be faster (to localize battery production), because the price becomes affordable, it is impossible to depress EV prices without localizing electrification components,” Bob explained.

Although he cannot confirm when the development of the battery industry will be accomplished, Bob said Indonesia has great potential. Given Indonesia has the abundant source of battery raw materials, and its track record in localizing production to export.

Toyota Motor Corporation, directly represented by Toyota Daihatsu Engineering and Manufacturing Co Ltd's President and Executive Chief Engineer Yoshiki Konishi, separately said Toyota would hire one of the world's largest battery manufacturers, CATL, to produce batteries in the country.

“We will cooperate with CATL, which is already building the battery industry, and we will supply not only Toyota, but also the industry,” Yoshiki Konishi said in Tokyo on Tuesday (24/10/2023).

CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) is a Chinese manufacturer focused on manufacturing lithium ion batteries, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle battery management.

In 2018, CATL's annual sales volume reached 21.18 GWh. Based on its total production, CATL is the world's third-largest provider of battery solutions for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrids, after Panasonic (Sanyo) and BYD.

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