It is no secret that Tesla is looking to build its own battery cells, and needs the basic ingredients in order to do so.
In recent months CEO Elon Musk has called on mining companies to increase their nickel production, but in an efficient and environmentally sensitive way.
Last month we reported on Indonesia’s attempt to lure the automaker to build a battery factory in the country, which is known to have one of the largest nickel reserves in the world.
It appears as though the possibility of a Tesla battery factory in Indonesia is growing more likely, based on comments made today by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
In a statement to Reuters on Friday, Widodo revealed he will be sending a senior delegation to meet with executives from Tesla. The meetings will be in part to discuss the country’s new “Omnibus” Job Creation law, which makes doing business in Indonesia easier.
“Next week we will send a large team to America and Japan, to promote the Omnibus. It’s very important because we have a great plan to make Indonesia the biggest producer of lithium batteries and we have the biggest nickel (reserves),” Jokowi said.
Tesla isn’t only looking to Indonesia for supplying the raw materials for its batteries. In July we reported that Canadian mining firm Giga Metals was in talks with Tesla for a low-carbon nickel deal.
Toronto-based Canada Nickel Co. also reached out to Musk on Twitter to take him up on his offer to process zero-carbon nickel.
Finally, Brazilian miner Vale S.A. is also in talks with the automaker to obtain nickel from its facilities in Ontario, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
