First electric vehicle charging unit installed in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD : Pakistan’s first electric vehicle charging unit has been installed at Jinnah Avenue with the collaborated efforts of Ministry of Climate Change and Ministry of Science and Technology.
The Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudary recently hinted about the development regarding EVs through a tweet saying, “The opening of EV charging stations was another target of Ministry of Science and Technology to encourage E vehicles as future transportation,” said Fawad Chaudhry in a tweet last week.
The Government of Pakistan has also approved the EV policy which The Ministry of Climate Change had lately developed to improvise the eco-system and contribute in the efforts to mitigate the effects of global warming. Under the National Electric Vehicle Policy, all motorcycles and vehicles would be shifted on electric power, while EV manufacturing units would also be established across the country. The copy of the EV policy available with The Nation reveals that the initiative is taken to overcome the threats being hailed by the changing climate or the global warming. The policy intends to fight climate change by enacting such steps as transportation is the biggest cause of emissions and many countries are planning to introduce electric and alternate fuel-based transportation to drastically cut down emissions.
The document says:
“To achieve these targets, the first few years require a carefully planned transformation of the auto industry.
These initial years are divided into three phases: 1. Market development and public awareness through incentives and subsidies on EVs especially to the companies willing to setup EV related industry in Pakistan. (Years 1 and 2) 2. Fuel import bill substitution through targeted penetration of EVs through local assembly and manufacturing. (Years 3 and 4) 3. Reasonable local adoption and export of electric vehicles and their components through indigenous research, development, assembling and manufacturing (Years 5 and beyond).”
The document further briefed that the initial years of EV penetration in Pakistan are not possible without government support. EVs still cost much higher than their FFV counterparts and governments around the world give subsidies, incentives and tax breaks for EV adoption amongst the masses. These initial incentives, tax breaks and benefits will pay for itself with the savings in fuel import bill, reduction in emission related expenses, usage of idle electricity capacity and income from charging revenues.
The document also revealed that with the target penetration of first five years, the country will conservatively get around PKR 110 billion yearly through savings and earnings.
Advisor on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam also gave remarks about the EV policy when it was introduced. He was quoted as saying, “Pakistan is among 10 countries which are most affected by climate change. Economically we are the second most affected country. The melting of glaciers in Himalayas to the smog problem of our cities gives us a strong indicator that climate change impacts millions of lives and if continue unabated it will impact millions of more lives.”
However, both the Advisor on Climate Change and Minister for Science and Technology seem optimistic in fighting against this global issue.
Apart from this, climate pundits also believe that this policy will begin an era of clean air in the country that we as a nation desperately need for our future generation.
Source : nation
