RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - New investment opportunities in the battery industry are once again flowing into Indonesia.

Australian technology company Pure Battery Technologies (PBT) is preparing to invest USD 350 million to build a Cathode Active Material precursor (pCAM) facility to strengthen the national electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.

The plan was discussed during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Deputy Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Todotua Pasaribu and Pure Battery Technologies Chairman Stephen Wilmot at the Indonesia Investment Promotion Center (IIPC) office in Sydney, Australia.

The investment will develop a Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP)‑based pCAM industry supplied by domestic High‑Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) facilities.

“Indonesia already has HPAL facilities and will soon have battery cell manufacturing. The remaining links in the chain are pCAM and cathodes. That is why investments like Pure Battery Technologies are crucial to completing a fully integrated battery ecosystem,” Todotua said in Jakarta on Thursday, July 2, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

According to Todotua, the investment will strengthen the national battery industry’s value chain -- from nickel, MHP, and pCAM to cathodes and battery cells. The presence of a pCAM facility is also expected to increase nickel’s added value while solidifying Indonesia’s position as a hub for the EV ecosystem.

The government views the development of the battery precursor industry as a strategic move, as this segment is currently absent in Indonesia. The midstream stage is one of the segments with the highest economic value creation in the nickel industry chain.

IIPC Sydney Director Leidy Surianingrat confirmed that her organization will fully support the investment realization process.

“IIPC Sydney is committed to facilitating Pure Battery Technologies’ investment journey in Indonesia by connecting the company with relevant government stakeholders and strategic partners, as well as supporting the next steps toward project realization,” she said.

In addition to discussing the investment, the two parties also explored establishing a legal entity for PBT in Indonesia, alternative locations for production facilities, financing schemes, and opportunities for strategic partnerships in the nickel mining and processing sector. ***