Asia Minute: Indonesia wants to host Elon Musk’s next electric vehicle battery plant

Indonesia is at the center of Elon Musk’s business world this week. The tech entrepreneur went to Bali over the weekend to launch a satellite internet service — but other deals may be in the works.

Starlink is the satellite internet service that operates as part of SpaceX. It has provided connections everywhere from West Maui right after the fires to remote areas in different parts of the world.

Now that includes Indonesia, where Starlink launched service this past Sunday.

Elon Musk showed up with a team in Bali’s capital, connecting to a medical clinic in a far-flung part of the Indonesian archipelago.

A deal with few details was announced improving connectivity for health care and education. But Indonesia’s government is lobbying Musk for a different kind of investment.

Leaders want Musk to build an electric vehicle battery plant in Indonesia.

Discussions of such a move have been going on since at least 2022 when an Indonesian delegation visited Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas plant in Austin.

On Monday, a government investment official said the government proposed a new factory, adding that Musk said he “will consider it.”

One big factor is nickel — a key component of electric vehicle batteries.

Indonesia is the worldʻs biggest producer of nickel and is trying to broaden its market of clients for the metal beyond its base of Chinese companies.