Pakistan: Inflation drives demand for electric vehicles

DW (English)

Motorists on Pakistan's roads are swapping gas for electric in response to rising fuel prices in the country. But it's not a solution that everyone is able to reap the benefits of, warns an automotive sector expert.

Transcript

00:00A growing number of motorists in Pakistan are swapping gasoline vehicles for EVs.

00:06The reason I bought this electric bike is because I travel a lot, commuting to work and back.

00:12And I run errands on my motorcycle too.

00:15It used to cost me between 500 and 600 rupees, around 2 euros, in fuel costs.

00:22Now I save that money.

00:23As a woman in Pakistan, using public transport isn't easy.

00:31It's not safe for us.

00:33So I bought a bike that ran on petrol, but that proved very costly.

00:37It ate up more than half of my salary.

00:40Then I heard of electric bikes.

00:47Now that I have an electric bike, I'm relaxed.

00:50It doesn't create any noise.

00:54There's no pollution.

00:56It's totally environmentally friendly.

01:01And it has a soft touch, which we girls desire.

01:10Demand is so high that dealers aren't able to supply all the e-bikes needed.

01:15I can't give you an exact number of electric bikes sold, but we're overbooked.

01:19People are really keen on having e-v's, largely because they can save around 90% on fuel costs.

01:25That's why people are more interested in e-v's now.

01:30Conflicts in the Middle East have driven up the price of petrol in Pakistan.

01:35And commuters have felt the pinch acutely.

01:38Since charging an electric motorcycle is cost-effective and relatively simple,

01:43people are willing to make the switch.

01:45The biggest benefit is that it gets fully charged in three hours and runs 100 kilometers a day, which is a lot.

01:57A normal 220-volt charger can charge it.

02:01I don't need a big socket or a long electric cable.

02:04Anything that can charge a mobile phone can charge it.

02:08I don't need to charge anyone with a mobile phone, but I can charge my bike easily.

02:14Sheikh Salzeer recently bought an electric car, and he's happy with it for a number of reasons.

02:20The first reason is its price.

02:22This car costs 4 million rupees, around 13,000 euros.

02:26So the car is affordable.

02:27Secondly, it has all the features a car should have.

02:32Then comes the fact that it's electric and easy to charge.

02:35So someone going to their office, going to meet friends, going to a wedding,

02:39can easily charge it at home and go anywhere.

02:46It is a 16-ampere charger, which takes 220 volts.

02:50You can install a box at home where you can charge it easily.

02:53You can drive it for 200 kilometers after charging it for 7 hours.

03:02So you don't have to worry about charging stations.

03:06The Pakistani government aims for EVs to make up 30% of all vehicles by 2030.

03:13By 2060, the government hopes 100% of its vehicles will be zero emissions.

03:18It's opened the door for Chinese manufacturers to try and meet the country's EV needs.

03:23And also plans to expand the country's charging infrastructure.

03:27But industry expert Mashud Khan says not everyone can afford an electric vehicle

03:32or install a charging port.

03:35At the moment, the price of EVs is too high.

03:38Prices should be reduced.

03:39The cheaper running costs make EVs attractive.

03:43And people save money when compared to paying for fuel.

03:46But can we really afford the vehicles?

03:51Khan believes Pakistan's plans are too ambitious.

03:55He wants the country to focus its efforts on public transport instead.

04:00The transition to EVs should start with public transport.

04:04Building charging stations for public transport is easier than for commuter vehicles.

04:08The challenge will be less daunting.

04:10The challenge will be less daunting.

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