Indonesia and Malaysia are deepening cooperation to develop an electric vehicle battery ecosystem and supply chain in Southeast Asia, with the goal of strengthening ASEAN’s technological self-reliance and reducing dependence on producers outside the region. The initiative is intended to expand regional capabilities across more stages of the battery value chain as Southeast Asia looks to capture greater economic and technological benefits from the shift to electric vehicles.
Evvy Kartini, a professor at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and founder of the National Battery Research Institute (NBRI), said the partnership reflects the complementary strengths of both countries. Indonesia is focusing on battery materials and cathode development, while Malaysia is contributing pilot plant facilities where those materials can be processed into battery cells.
“Materials that we develop in Indonesia are sent to Malaysia to be processed into battery cells. Products resulting from this collaboration have even been jointly introduced with the relevant ministries in Malaysia,” Evvy said in Jakarta.
She said the region’s rapidly growing electric vehicle market makes it increasingly important for Southeast Asia to establish its own battery supply chain and technical capabilities. At the same time, she said Indonesia needs to build its own pilot plant to bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial-scale production. Such a facility, she added, would help the country move beyond supplying raw materials and develop the ability to manufacture battery cells independently at scale.
Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing regions for the EV industry, drawing investment in vehicle manufacturing, battery production, and related supply chains. Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel reserves, giving it a strong position in the development of materials used in certain battery chemistries.
Despite that advantage, much of the region’s advanced battery processing and cell manufacturing remains dominated by companies from outside Southeast Asia, particularly from China, South Korea, and Japan.
Source: Jakarta Globe
