The Punjab provincial government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has opted to terminate the electric-bike project due to concerns surrounding battery theft and limited mileage. However, the plan to distribute fuel-powered motorcycles remains unchanged.
Last month, an initiative was launched to register university students across Punjab for the provision of 20,000 electric and petrol bikes on interest-free monthly instalments. In the first phase, both petrol and e-bikes were planned to be distributed, with male students paying Rs 11,676 per month and female students paying Rs 7,325.
Initially, the bikes were set to be provided to residents of Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. However, students have expressed disappointment over the decision to discontinue the electric bike project and instead distribute fuel-powered motorcycles.
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Meanwhile, an official from an electric motorcycle assembling company in Lahore highlighted the challenges related to electric vehicles, particularly regarding battery availability and charging. Charging a lithium battery, he noted, requires four to five hours and consumes three units of electricity. Without a robust strategy addressing battery and charging point infrastructure, the success of electric vehicles in Pakistan remains uncertain.
