The approval of Pakistan’s first electric vehicle policy towards the end of last year has given rise to the current media debate. This is a positive step we are now closer to a pollution-free environment. The selection of electric vehicle technology remains slow moving even in developed countries despite its healthy impact on the environment and numerous economic benefits for consumers. Pakistan is doubtful to challenge this global trend in spite of substantial tax and other concessions announced in the policy to expand the adoption of the technology. The government proposes that about 30 percent of all new cars, trucks, buses, vans and jeeps, and approximately 50 percent of all two-, three- and four-wheelers will be electric vehicles by 2030. Close to 2040, 90 percent of vehicles on the road are planned as electric. The lethargic introduction of green technology across the world has also voiced the question of whether it is good for Pakistan to jump openly into an electric future or take the blend route. Chinese carmakers are in favour of a direct shift to an electric vehicle future, Japanese automobile companies desires the government to follow a route where both electric vehicles and hybrid comprising plugged-in hybrid electric vehicles are permitted to compete as is the case in countries Thailand and Malaysia. The slow approach, they say, to move from the existing internal burning engines to nil dismiss vehicles will benefit every stakeholder like automobile companies, auto parts manufacturers, government and consumers. The Engineering Development Board is advancing the next Auto Industry Development and Export Programme 2021-26, required to cautiously counterbalance the arguments given by both sides and take true realities into account before taking the new policy.
In developed countries, the proportion of emissions of greenhouse gases from vehicles in total volume of environmental pollution is approximately 20 percent but in Pakistan it is about 40 percent. If not stopped the country’s major cities are anticipated to be as immobilized as smog-enveloped New Delhi is currently with Lahore appearing to be its first injured. The Federal cabinet allowed electric vehicles in Pakistan. The electric vehicles are all the rage for their potential to control the frightening climate change and damaging global warming. The other benefits of electric vehicle are cheap transportation cost, largely-cut oil import bill, a major encouragement to local car industry and creation of new jobs. By switching to electric vehicles, the country would save above Rs 110 billion annually. The plan approved by the cabinet, 30 percent of total number of vehicles in the country will be turned into electric cars. Local car manufacturers are waiting for the cabinet’s approval for a policy on electric vehicle so that they can introduce their electric vehicles into the market. Producing or manufacturing electric vehicle will require a whole new manufacturing device. Further, the current auto industry, which has so far given only little response to this suggested drive, will be required to play an aggressive role in this regard. Electric Vehicle asserts that about 90 percent energy conservation efficiency. The other and certainly more tempting motivation that justify introduction of electric vehicles in Pakistan are less air pollution and fuel consumption; these are the major motivation that justify introduction of electric vehicles. The government also desires establishing a separate electric vehicle board, identical to the Engineering Development Board in a proposal to promote environment-friendly vehicles in the country.
Triumph of Tesla and the increasing worries over climate change and global warming has demonstrated that electric cars are certainly the future of transportation around the world. Automakers around the world have acknowledged this and have initiated offering fully electric models while terminating the internal combustion engine. The Audi e-tron is completely electrify introduced in Pakistan by Audi Pakistan in March 2020. The BMW iX is the latest in this list, having just made its entrance in November 2020. The iX is one of the current cars in the German luxury car manufacture’s arrangement and is part of the BMW i sub brand. The car features a 100 kWh battery, which gives it a claimed 600 km of Countries are quickly moving towards the electrification of its transport sector in a bid to reduce their oil import bill and their carbon in arrangement with the Paris climate treaty. China, the US, and western European countries are leading the world in this context where Eastern Europe and India are in the early stages of their electric vehicle markets. The government of Pakistan announced its Electric Vehicle policy 2021-2025 in June, which concentrate buses, trucks and 2-3 wheelers while leaving out cars in the first phase.
Direct consumer grants on the purchase of electric vehicle are a general global wide and are given by governments to counteract the additional costs consumers pay for a cleaner vehicle. Even in countries where there was a substantial direct subsidy available for consumers on purchase of electric vehicles, sales reduced after governments phased subsidies out. For example, in Denmark, when the government gradually subsidies out, sales of electric vehicles dropped largely in the 2017-2018 period. The governments wants to give initial financial incentive to the sector as it serves the economy in the long period , they do not want the sector to become completely dependent on them. Western European countries and China are phasing out their direct consumer subsidies. The US, under Biden, will again introduce subsidies on the purchase of electric vehicle due to their effectiveness.