EV debate

EVs (Electric Vehicles) are inevitable and gas guzzlers are going to go away eventually, but does Pakistan really have traction on this issue. The answer is no. Pakistan does not have the funds to set up charging stations around the country, which will cost billions of dollars, and if we don’t have charging at our ease, the EVs are not going to be adopted by the Pakistani consumer. Pricing is also an issue that needs attention. EVs are expensive, their batteries are expensive and their maintenance costs are as yet hazy. Furthermore, long power outages are a warning signal to those consumers pondering an EV shift.

Will Pakistanis be able to afford EVs? Can they really produce low-carbon electricity for charging the EVs, if they ever show up on the roads? It is up to the media to create an environment in which serious debate about EV adoption in Pakistan, its costs, its feasibility and its prospects are highlighted at a deeper level than just saying that the government is importing electric buses and that shows Pakistan’s intent on becoming an EV nation.

Yasser Shah

Lahore