Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday launched Pakistan’s first-ever locally manufactured electric bikes.
Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad, the prime minister said it was a “futuristic step”. The launch of the electric motorcycle is part of the government’s five-year Pakistan Electric Vehicles Policy 2020-2025, approved last year in a bid to switch to the affordable and environment-friendly mode of transport. The policy envisaged targeting a robust electric vehicle market with a 30% and 90% share in passenger vehicles, and heavy-duty trucks by 2030 and 2040, respectively.
The prime minister said the EV policy was part of the larger initiative of making the country clean and green. “EVs, particularly electric motorcycles as they are used more, will have to be introduced in cities to curb pollution,” he said.
The prime minister said the government’s electric vehicle policy would be export-orientated and encourage the economic growth by using local raw materials in order to manufacture indigenous products.
Manufactured by a Pakistani company, Jolta Electric, the e-bike will be available in various models from JE-Scooty to JE-Sports Bike. The e-bike is energy-efficient and can be charged overnight with other features such as no clutch and gear and low maintenance.
“We have introduced low-end e-bikes at the moment,” said Jolta Electric Chairman Muhammad Azim. “But we plan to introduce high-end electric bikes, which will be comparable to 150cc bikes and later three-wheelers (such as electric rickshaw) and four-wheelers (electric cars).”
