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Tesla execs to meet with Indonesian delegation for potential facility deal: report

(Credit: Tesla)

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5 years ago

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As Tesla ramps its efforts to acquire more resources for its battery production initiatives, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has revealed that he is sending a high-level delegation to meet with the electric car maker’s top executives next week. The talks will likely involve a potential battery facility deal in Indonesia, a country that stands as the world’s largest nickel producer. 

In a statement to Reuters on Friday, the president, better known by his nickname, Jokowi, stated that the trip will be part of Indonesia’s promotion of its “Omnibus” Job Creation law, which is aimed at simplifying how companies can do business in the country. The “Omnibus” initiative harmonizes 79 existing laws, significantly cutting red tape and potentially spurring investments from interested businesses. 

The delegation that will be meeting with Tesla executives next week will include high-ranking officials, with the team being led by Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan. “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. 

In another interview, Luhut noted that he and his team will not only be meeting with Tesla executives; the Indonesian delegation will also be holding meetings with the World Bank and US fund managers. The meeting will largely involve the country’s “Omnibus” law and its environmental projects. While Luhut declined to provide details about his team’s upcoming meeting with Tesla, he did state that “there is a really good chance” that companies would want to invest in Indonesian nickel to save on costs. 

Such a pitch would likely be perceived positively by Tesla, considering that CEO Elon Musk has pretty much issued an open call for nickel producers across the globe. Musk has stated that Tesla is poised to give massive, long-term contracts to nickel producers, provided that the material is mined “efficiently and in an environmentally sensitive way.” Luhut, for his part has noted that Indonesia is aiming to make the supply chain of batteries environmentally-friendly in seven to eight years by powering smelters with renewable sources. 

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Previous reports have indicated that Tesla may be planning on building a dedicated battery factory in Indonesia, on account of the country’s massive nickel supply. In a statement to CNBC Indonesia last month, Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang stated that talks with Tesla are ongoing for a potential battery factory in the Batang area. These points were previously highlighted by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment General TNI (Purn) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who noted that he had already spoken with the American electric car maker. 

Ayodhia Kalake, a senior official at Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment, has also noted that Tesla had reached out to the government about a potential venture in the country. “It was still an early discussion and was not detailed yet. We need further discussion with Tesla,” the senior official said. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla gets its best analysis from Morgan Stanley as ‘it’s all about to change’

He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.

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13 minutes ago

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August 7, 2025

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla has gotten perhaps its best analysis from Morgan Stanley in quite some time, as the Wall Street firm claims that “it’s all about to change.”

That phrase could be used for both the company’s status and the world in general.

Analyst Adam Jonas said in a new note on Thursday to investors that Tesla could be one of the major winners in terms of the global transition from what it is now to what it will be.

He describes the global shift that will occur over the next few years:

“Have you interacted with a robot today? Have you even seen a robot today? No? Well, take a mental picture because it’s all about to change. When we meet someone who has never been in a Waymo or a Tesla Cybercab (which is most people), we frequently see a wince and a response such as ‘I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable getting in a car without a driver.’ We imagine going back in time to 1903 and asking people if they’d feel comfortable in an airplane.'”

The same technological revolutions that have occurred over the past 150 years will continue to occur again and again. We are on the verge of another, Jonas believes, as companies like Tesla are working on artificial intelligence tech, which includes changing the way we look at things like transportation and labor.

Jonas includes an interesting tidbit in his note about how humanoid robots could change wages, and how it could work into the advantage of Tesla, especially as it is developing its own Optimus robot:

“We estimate 1 humanoid robot at $5/hour can do the work of 2 humans at $25/hour, generating an NPV of approximately $200k/humanoid. 1 robot shaped car can potentially drive down cost/mile of a ride share vehicle to <$0.20 mile (1/10th human-driven ride-share).”

Jonas sees Tesla as a key player in how AI will impact things like manufacturing and various automotive industries, and he believes there is long-term potential for AI, robomobility, and even autonomous eVTOL platforms.

Tesla stock: Morgan Stanley says eVTOL is calling Elon Musk for new chapter

He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.

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Tesla expands Robotaxi program in Austin to new riders

Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.

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46 minutes ago

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August 7, 2025

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Credit: @TerrapinTerpene/X

Tesla is expanding its Robotaxi program in Austin, Texas, as several people have received invitations to participate and take rides.

Tesla first launched the Robotaxi platform on June 22. It invited a handful of people to participate in the first-ever public rides. We were lucky enough to get an invitation, and our permissions have been expanded in the Bay Area pilot program as well.

The group was small and consisted of big names in the Tesla community. It expanded and is continuing to offer these exclusive invitations to notable members of the Tesla community.

There have been fewer than five subsequent invitations after the first group’s were sent in late June:

Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.

Tesla’s new Robotaxi geofence shape is an FU by Elon Musk to the competition

“We are being very cautious. We do not want to take any chances, so we are going to go cautiously. But the service areas and the number of vehicles in operation will increase at a hyper-exponential rate,” CEO Elon Musk said during the Q2 Earnings Call.

Eventually, the Robotaxi platform will not require an invite, and it will operate without geofences. Musk believes Tesla can get there within three or six months, and plans to have at least half of the U.S. population with access to a Robotaxi by the end of the year:

“I think we will probably have autonomous ride-hailing in probably half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year. That’s at least our goal, subject to regulatory approvals. I think we will technically be able to do it. Assuming we have regulatory approvals, it’s probably addressing half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year.”

Tesla plans to have regulatory approval in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida sooner than in other states.

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Tesla makes major change at Supercharger Diner amid epic demand

To ensure that menu items are both available in plentiful quantities and fresh, the menu could feature some seasonal options moving forward.

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1 hour ago

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August 7, 2025

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tesla diner
Credit: Tesla

Tesla has made a major change at its Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles as the location is experiencing epic amounts of demand after launch.

The Supercharger Diner was an idea of CEO Elon Musk’s way back in 2018. It took some time to come to fruition, but it has finally opened, serving its first customers in July.

Tesla Supercharger Diner officially opens: menu, prices, features, and more

Upon its launch, people lined up around the block to give the restaurant a try. There were some who admitted to waiting 13 hours for the doors to open, which finally did at 4:20 p.m. local time.

If you know anything about Tesla, you know that the time fits the bill for the company.

Tesla Cybertruck leftovers are the main course at the Supercharger Diner

Nevertheless, it has basically been a non-stop operation since its grand opening. It’s already available to serve customers 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. These hours, along with the long-awaited grand opening, have brought tens of thousands of customers in the first few weeks.

As a result, the Diner’s chef, Eric Greenspan, revealed there will be some things that will no longer be on the menu as it handles “unprecedented demand.”

He told Eater the menu would be “forever evolving.” It has, as a result, now been void of the following menu items:

  • Market Salad
  • Club Sandwich
  • Hashbrown Bites
  • Biscuits and Red Gravy
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Vegan Patty option for Burger
  • Waffles are now only served in the morning, instead of all day
  • Soft serve will return this week. It’s provided by a local farm, which couldn’t handle the demand
  • Reimagined fountain drinks

Tesla focused on sourcing a vast majority of the food from local sources. This is likely why it has been forced to scale back much of its menu for the time being. When restaurants source their food and beverages locally, their menus change frequently.

To ensure that menu items are both available in plentiful quantities and fresh, the menu could feature some seasonal options moving forward.

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