Govt pursuing eco-friendly policy to promote use of EVs

Islamabad : The climate change ministry is pursuing a multi-faceted policy with a target that 30 per cent of all new cars, big and small trucks, vans, and jeeps would be electric vehicles by 2030 that would help reduce tailpipe emissions by 65 percent especially in the urban areas of Pakistan.

The policy envisions that some 100,000 cars; 500,000 two- and three-wheelers; and 1,000 buses and trucks would use electricity to ply on the roads in the next five years.

The draft policy shows that the use of electric vehicles is being promoted to slowly and steadily capture the automobile industry with an aim to bring down Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.

It said the local market is gearing up for the electric vehicles so the policy has provided incentives to both buyers and sellers of these vehicles.

With 43 percent of the airborne emissions in the country coming from the transport sector transitioning to the electric vehicles would provide a huge opportunity to reduce air pollution.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s first ever electric vehicle charging unit has been installed at Jinnah Avenue (Islamabad) with the collaborated efforts of the climate change ministry and the ministry of science and technology.

Transportation is the biggest cause of emissions and many other countries are also planning to introduce electric and alternative fuel-based transportation to drastically cut down emissions.

An official of the climate change ministry pointed out that the vehicle makers have a huge competitive advantage in this as they already have the infrastructure ready for the chassis and just need to replace the fuel engine with a battery EV system.

He said the policy aims to provide cheaper transport, as the cost of running electric vehicles is considerably lower than that of gasoline, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), or other types of fuel.