NUR-E 75, Pakistan’s first electric car prototype, unveiled

Pakistan’s first electric car prototype, which has been dubbed NUR-E 75, was unveiled on Sunday. The car’s battery capacity would be 35kWh. After being charged, the vehicle would have enough power for 210km.

According to Dr Khurshid Qureshi, founder and chairman of the Distinguished Innovation, Collaboration & Entrepreneurship (DICE) Foundation, which designed and developed the prototype, the car would save a lot of fuel, and help combat climate change and sustain economic prosperity.

DICE Foundation is a US-based non-profit organisation run by expatriate Pakistanis from the US, the EU and other parts of the world, along with support from local academias and industries.

Dr Qureshi, a leading expert on developing autonomous vehicles, said the car’s production has three phases: the first was industrial design, production and launch; in the second production would be expanded to Sedan and SUV, small commercial trucks and EV platform export; and in the third the cars would be exported.

He said production began in 2019, adding that the fully functional prototype, EV NUR-E 75, is ready for testing and regulatory approval, while work on the design of rolling platform to be used for various vehicle segments is underway.

Explaining different features of the five-seater hatchback, he said the car has a peak power of 80kW or 108hp, and a battery capacity of 35kWh covering 210km with the air conditioner turned off.

The fully electric car has a maximum speed of 120km/h, tyre size of 16 inches, ground clearance of 190mm and charging capacity at 220V in eight hours, with fast charging also available, he added.

He pointed out that the car, presented as a gift to Pakistan on its diamond jubilee, would play a phenomenal role in the context of environment and climate change, and help us move away from non-renewable fuel consumption.

“I can’t stress enough on the significance of this innovation, and how it will be a game changer both for Pakistan’s economy as well as for the well-being of the ordinary citizens of the country once it hits the market in the last quarter of 2024.”

DICE Foundation has been working in Pakistan for the past 15 years promoting innovation, building capability and converting brain drain into brain gain. Founded in 2007, the organisation’s areas of focus are automotive, health, agriculture, energy, creative art and textile.

DICE is a strategic initiative of DICE Foundation, USA, aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship culture in the country at all levels. It is an umbrella programme, and there are several major platforms currently active under it.

The main objective of each of these platforms is to jump start the cycle of innovation in the country necessary for its sustainable development, progress and economic prosperity.