Electric vehicles policy: Notification to be issued after approval from ECC: adviser

Adviser to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Friday said that notification for electric vehicles policy would be issued after getting approval from the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) next week.

This is the second time that Malik Amin had set a deadline on notifying electric vehicle policy. During his visit to Karachi in November last year, he had announced issuance of relevant SROs by the first week of December, but since then the industry and importers are waiting for such notifications.

Now, he again came up with such claim during his visit to the Crown Electric Vehicle Co. Plant here on Friday, saying that all work had been done and notifications related to EV policy was going to be issued after getting go-ahead from the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) next week.

Furthermore, he said that electric vehicles would initially reduce import bill by US$2 billion per annum. He said that electric vehicles would provide cheap mode of transportation and reduction in carbon emission, adding that this was the suitable time for electric vehicles as the country had a surplus of 4000MW of power production.

Chairman of Crown Group M. Farhan Hanif said, "Our vision goes beyond the conventional ways travel is done in Pakistan. We aim to enable the masses of Pakistan to get affordable, economical and reliable vehicles for their everyday travel. Together, in coordination with the government, we will pursue our vision and aim and provide Pakistanis with the technologies they need."

He said that the Crown Group aims to strengthen electric vehicle eco-system in Pakistan by promoting the use of rechargeable electric stations. Recently, Crown Group organized the market testing and sales display of its exclusive range of CROWNE Electric Vehicles which included two, three and four-wheelers, which would be locally manufactured at the Group's Port Qasim facility on which Rs2 billion has already been invested.

Besides helping the government in controlling pollution, CROWNE 3 wheeler costs Rs1.50 per km thus benefiting the masses in economical transport facilities and low-cost of cargo movement.