ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The prime minister is likely to approve the National Electric Vehicle (NEV) policy this week that will subsequently be forwarded to the federal cabinet for final approval and implementation.
The policy aims to ensure that more than 30 percent of new vehicles introduced in the country in the next five years (by 2030) are electric.
The Ministry of Industries in consultations with stakeholders, has submitted the draft EV policy to the prime minister, according to the sources.
The NEV policy includes grant of subsidy up to Rs50,000 for electric motorcycles and Rs200,000 for three-wheelers (rickshaws), with a total subsidy allocation of Rs4 billion.
In addition, the policy provides for subsidies and support to establish EV infrastructure including the charging stations.
Few days back, PM’s special assistant Haroon Akhtar Khan met a delegation from COMSATS to discuss the advancement of electric vehicle technology and motorcycle retrofitting in Pakistan.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Industries and Production Saif Anjum, COMSATS Executive Director Nafees Zakaria and CEO Engineering Development Board Khuda Bakhsh Ali.
Akhtar told the meeting that electric vehicles will bring significant economic and environmental benefits to the country.
He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting clean energy and sustainable transport solutions, in line with the prime minister’s vision of a greener and economically resilient Pakistan.
Adoption of EV technology
The participants of the meeting focused on accelerating the adoption of EV technology, particularly through converting the existing petrol-powered motorcycles to electric bikes.
According to official data, approximately 28.7 million motorcycles are running on petrol, which results in billions of rupees in fuel costs each year.
Electrifying the two-wheelers could substantially reduce fuel costs and help lower Pakistan‘s carbon footprint.
