Luhut to Meet Tesla Boss Elon Musk Next Month
Jakarta. Chief Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on Monday said he would meet with Tesla’s boss Elon Musk to follow up on the US automaker’s investment in Indonesia.
Nickel-rich Indonesia has been wooing Tesla into investing in its electric vehicle (EV) industry for years. However, it appears to be falling behind its close neighbor Malaysia. Malaysia recently announced that Tesla would establish its headquarters in Selangor this year. Indonesia immediately set up a meeting with Musk shortly after the announcement.
“I plan on meeting Elon Musk on Aug. 2. We would like to finalize [Tesla’s investment in Indonesia],” Luhut said in Jakarta on Monday.
The minister did not elaborate further on his upcoming talks with Musk. Luhut also claimed that Tesla had not made any investment in Malaysia. He told reporters: “there is none.”
Luhut in April 2022 flew to Texas to meet Musk for some potential investment talks. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo also met with Musk during a visit to the latter's aerospace company SpaceX just a month later.
According to Reuters, Luhut in August 2022 told Indonesian media that Tesla had signed a five-year contract worth $5 billion with nickel processing companies operating out of Morowali, Sulawesi. Tesla will use the purchased nickel for its lithium batteries.
President Jokowi also told Bloomberg in August 2022 that Indonesia had been trying to convince Tesla to also build electric cars there, on top of making batteries.
News outlet Antara in March wrote that the government had been avoiding revealing details on Tesla's investment because they had inked a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). However, Luhut at the time said that Indonesia’s negotiations with Tesla had seen major progress.
Indonesia’s nickel ore reserves stand at 21 million metric tons. This puts Indonesia and Australia as the countries with the world’s largest nickel reserves. Indonesia last year produced 1.6 million metric tons of nickel, the 2023 US Geological Survey data shows.
Tags: Keywords:
as a preferred
Related Articles
Ukraine Accuses US of Helping Russia as Missiles Hit Kyiv
Zelensky called on US tech billionaire Elon Musk to restore Starlink, which Kyiv says has been slowed down.
Indonesia Aims $45 Billion Nickel Exports in 2026
Indonesia's nickel exports neared $34 billion in 2024, government data showed.
Prabowo Says Indonesian Electric Car to Enter Mass Production by 2028
Prabowo targets mass production of Indonesia's national electric car by 2028 as the government launches its Molinas motorcycle initiative.
Govt Denies Granting Weda Bay Nickel Extra Quota
The government confirms that Weda Bay Nickel has applied for extra quota, but they have not received a green light.
AI to Watch Over Indonesia’s Social Aid to Save $15 Billion
The estimated savings from the AI-backed social aid rollout are still subject to change, depending on the quality of the data.
Luhut Says Indonesia Could Attract $500 Billion Through Family Office Initiative
Luhut said Indonesia had been relatively slow to pursue the concept compared with other jurisdictions that have attracted global wealth.
Elon Musk Poised to Become World’s First Trillionaire With SpaceX IPO
Elon Musk is poised to become the world’s first trillionaire as SpaceX prepares for what could be the largest IPO in history.
Luhut Floats AI-Run Customs as Indonesia’s New Trade Regime Nears
Ex-minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan says nothing can escape AI as he heavily promotes the technology in the new export regime.
Elon Musk Spars with OpenAI Attorney in High-Level Trial
The company has argued Musk’s legal challenge is aimed at undercutting OpenAI’s rapid growth and bolstering Musk’s xAI.The Latest
Students Plan Jakarta Protests to Mark Two Years of Prabowo's Presidency
Police have advised the public to avoid areas around the House of Representatives complex, the National Monument and the State Palace.
UN Boss Commends Indonesian Forest Protection Despite Persistent Haze Problem
Outgoing UN boss António Guterres' comment comes at an ironic time amid Indonesia's struggle with forest fires.
Indonesia Must Benefit Most From Its Minerals: UN Chief
Outgoing UN chief António Guterres says that Indonesia must "retain a far greater share of the economic value" from its minerals.
Chandra Asri Group Receives Trade Finance Excellence Award, Reinforcing Its Role in Indonesia’s Industrial Development
Chandra Asri Group receives the Trade Finance Excellence Award at CIMB Niaga Business Summit 2026.
AEON MALL Deltamas Brings 11 Sports and Creative Competitions to AEONLYMPIC 2026
AEON MALL Deltamas hosts AEONLYMPIC 2026, featuring 11 sports and creative competitions, with more than 3,100 participants.Most Popular
