Malik Amin Aslam introducs Pakistan's first electric three-wheeler vehicle in Lahore on Saturday.

Tariq Butt, Staff Reporter

The first fully electric three-wheeler vehicles have been launched in Pakistan.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam says introduction of electric vehicle (EV) policy will help promote Pakistan transport sector in the coming years.

Addressing the launch ceremony, he said the EV policy had been framed after incorporating consultations from all stakeholders.

The event “Showcasing Pakistan’s First Fully-Electric Three-Wheel Vehicle” was organised by the Ministry of Climate Change in collaboration with the Board of Investment and Sazgar Engineering Works Limited.

He said the overarching EV policy, which was approved by Prime Minister Imran Khan last year on Nov.5, would help boost pollution-free transport facilities in the country.

Aslam said there were four main benefits of the EV policy as these vehicles would run on 70 per cent less cost compared to its fuel-based counterpart.
From low running costs to being environment-friendly, introduction of electric vehicles in the country would also help cut oil import bill, yield countless benefits for environment, people’s overall lifestyle and the way our cities look, the adviser added.

He said efforts were being made for localisation of EV manufacturing, enabling Pakistan to become part of the global value chain of electric vehicles.
Aslam said the EV policy and economic incentives would also be extended to the auto manufacturing sector to produce electric vehicles locally.

Listing the benefits of electric vehicles, Aslam said “electric vehicles do not emit smoke and are cleaner, do not cause noise pollution and cut fuel cost as well.”

“Emission of climate change-causing carbon dioxide from traditional vehicles contributes to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and accelerates climate change and overall environmental degradation and cause health problems.

“Conversely, all-electric vehicles don’t produce climate change-causing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,” he added.

Any reduction in or removal of taxes imposed on locally assembled cars in the budget for the current fiscal year will not lift the gloom in the country’s automobile industry as the sales have slumped mainly on account of the ongoing drive to document the economy and not owing to the rising prices of vehicles, a top executive of one of the three Japanese assemblers said.