EV bikes demand continues to surge in Pakistan as petrol prices soar

High demand of Electric Vehicle (EV) scooters-cum-bikes has dried up the local market after price-hike in petrol, it was learnt. Own money worth Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 is for a single EV bike and delivery time is for 30 days because CKD kits of EV scooters and bikes of popular models including T5-L, Velax and M3-H were in short supply in the market, bike dealers and experts told Business Recorder . They claimed as around 40,000 units, including 90% of EV scooters and 10% of EV bikes were sold only in April in the country, while demand was way more stronger. Evee Director Sales and Marketing Hamza Asad said scooters assemblers had placed increased orders to import completely knocked down (CKD) kits in China and the proper availability of EV scooters and bikes would be ensured till May 25 or June 1. He said if favourable policies of the government continued, EV sales could touch 500,000 units by the end of Dec 2026 (this calendar year). Pakistan government last week further increased the prices of petroleum products, raising petrol by Rs6.51 per litre and high-speed diesel by Rs19.39 per litre. The price of petrol (motor spirit) was set at Rs399.86 per litre, up from Rs393.35. The price of high-speed diesel was increased to Rs399.58 per litre from Rs380.19. Bike expert and dealer Muhammad Sabir Shaikh said many riders called for boyish bike designs for scooters instead of “girlish” ones. EV scooters should look like “boyish” designs, including wheel size upto 14 inches, heavy and lithium ion phosphate battery upto at least 100km, high quality shocks, and strong suspension, he urged. Shaikh advised the policy makers to form upcoming new New Energy Vehicles (NEV) policy with more useful incentives, including commercial import of batteries for 5 years along with 1% general sales tax (GST) and 1% custom duty, while removing setup of a paint shop for securing assembling licence. Talking about prices of durable and popular EV scooters and bikes, he said they were ranged from Rs250,000 to Rs600,000, while bikes for children were sold around Rs100,000-Rs150,000 depending on quality and brands. Speaking about high demand of EV bikes, VLEKTRA’s founder and CEO Syed Raza Mohsin said recent hike in petrol prices along with strong reception of EV bikes in Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification (PAVE) programme had led to a short term tightness in the marker. “However, we feel supply is ramping up and will catch up in 2-3 months,” he said. Mohsin was of the view that said suppliers were increasing their capacity across the board, and the government should continue to induce confidence in the industry with what he called favourable policies.

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