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.
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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.