Inaugurating Hyundai Factory In Cikarang, Jokowi: We Must Be Important Players In The Electric Car Industry

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated the PT Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Indonesia factory and launched the Ionic 5 electric car in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java./Via Youtube Secretariat of the President

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated the PT Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Indonesia factory and launched the Ionic 5 electric car in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java.

In his remarks, Jokowi said the momentum for the launch of this electric car had been long awaited. Moreover, he wants Indonesia to be able to immediately make a transition from fossil fuel cars to electric fuels that are more environmentally friendly.

"Today I came to Bekasi to watch and launch the Ionic 5 electric car. This is a moment that we have been waiting for because we want to immediately make a massive transition," Jokowi said as quoted from the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube show, Wednesday, March 16.

Jokowi wants electric cars to become the main mode of transportation. But, I don't want Indonesia to only become a consumer of electric cars.

According to him, Indonesia must become an important player in this industry because it has large mineral resources for the development of electric cars.

"We must become an important player in the global supply chain in the electric car industry. Our country has enormous mineral resources to support the development of electric cars," he stressed.

"We have nickel, we have cobalt as an important material for lithium batteries. Bauxite can be processed into aluminum and then it can be used for electric car frames, as well as copper which is needed for batteries and cable systems in electric cars," he added.

Jokowi asked that the downstream mineral raw materials must be carried out immediately to increase added value. Then, he emphasized that ecosystem development must be carried out if Indonesia wants to become a big player in this industry.

"Without a strong domestic ecosystem, it will be difficult for us to compete with other countries in building the electric car industry," he said.

Before closing his remarks, Jokowi said that 2022 will be an important momentum in the development of lithium batteries in Indonesia. He revealed that a number of investors would start their construction and prepare to process nickel to cobalt into battery material.

"And by 2024 electric cars produced in Indonesia will already use electric batteries and other important components produced in our country, Indonesia," he said.

So, in the future, the government will continue to support the production of electric cars in the country by providing incentives, reducing various regulatory barriers. "So that the upstream industry of electric vehicles will also grow, which at the same time creates jobs and performs import substitution," he explained.

"The government will always support every investment in electric vehicles in Indonesia and also the development of the upstream industry, especially the battery industry," he concluded.