CATL-led nickel, battery project breaks ground in Indonesia

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- A major nickel and battery industry chain project backed by a consortium comprising CATL's subsidiary Contemporary Brunp Lygend ("CBL"), Indonesian state-owned mining giant ANTAM, and national battery company IBC has officially broken ground in Indonesia, according to a post on a post on CATL's WeChat account.

With a projected total investment of nearly $6 billion, the initiative aims to support the production of batteries sufficient for 200,000 to 300,000 electric vehicles annually, with plans to expand into the energy storage sector.

Spanning more than 2,000 hectares, the project encompasses nickel mining, smelting operations, battery materials production, and battery recycling in East Halmahera, North Maluku, as well as a battery manufacturing facility in Karawang, West Java.

The first phase of the Karawang battery plant is designed with an annual capacity of 6.9 GWh. Built to CATL's Lighthouse Factory standards, it will leverage cutting-edge technologies including AI, 5G, and digital twin systems to deliver high-quality battery products and accelerate Indonesia's transition to electric mobility and clean energy.

Li Ping, Co-founder and Vice Chairman of CATL, noted that the project integrates the entire battery lifecycle—from raw material extraction and processing to manufacturing and recycling—creating a closed-loop value chain. "This initiative will inject powerful momentum into Indonesia's green economic transformation and its pursuit of net-zero carbon emissions," he said.

CATL will also deploy the Directional Recycling Technology (DRT), developed by its recycling arm Brunp, to help establish Indonesia's first renewable energy circular economy. The project incorporates renewable energy sources and advanced technologies to achieve ultra-low energy consumption and a metal recovery rate exceeding 95%. Once fully operational, it is expected to produce 142,000 tonnes of nickel and 30,000 tonnes of cathode material annually, and process up to 20,000 tonnes of used batteries.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony, hailed the project as a landmark collaboration with global significance. "This is a monumental undertaking that will benefit all parties involved and help produce the renewable and environmentally friendly energy the world is seeking," he said. According to Indonesian government estimates, the project will generate 8,000 direct and 35,000 indirect jobs once in full operation.