Electric Trucks to Hit Pakistan’s Roads Next Year
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
Dewan Farooque Motors Limited, a Karachi-based automobile manufacturer and importer, has announced plans to locally assemble Chinese electric trucks. The launch of these trucks, named “Kama,” is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.
According to Kashif Riaz, Director of Projects at Dewan Farooque Motors, the Kama electric truck is built on the strong framework of the diesel-powered Shehzore model. Completely built units (CBUs) have already arrived in Pakistan for testing, and the trucks will be locally assembled before the official launch.
This light commercial vehicle is designed to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. With a range of 300 kilometers and rapid charging capabilities, it addresses the high fuel consumption traditionally associated with commercial trucks, significantly lowering operating expenses.
Pakistan’s National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP), introduced in 2019, sets ambitious targets for EV adoption. It aims for electric vehicles to make up 30% of all passenger and heavy-duty truck sales by 2030, with an even higher goal of 90% by 2040. The Kama truck aligns with these goals, representing a key step in Pakistan’s transition to sustainable transportation.
Riaz highlighted the immense potential for electric vehicle production in Pakistan. He noted that the country has the resources, skilled workforce, and infrastructure to achieve 100% localized manufacturing. With abundant lithium resources and the ability to produce batteries domestically, Pakistan could eliminate the need for traditional engines and transmissions, paving the way for the country to become a global exporter of electric vehicles and components
He also emphasized the economic and environmental benefits of widespread EV adoption, including the possibility of earning carbon credits from the World Bank. However, Riaz called for stronger government support, such as additional duty exemptions, to encourage and accelerate local EV production.
Reference Link:- https://propakistani.pk/2024/12/26/electric-trucks-to-hit-pakistans-roads-next-year/
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
