Which electric bikes are available in Pakistan and at what price?

 

The Federal Cabinet of Pakistan has decided to gradually replace petrol-powered motorcycles with electric bikes in the country, for which a detailed plan will soon be placed before the Economic Coordination Committee.

In the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, a detailed briefing was given by the Ministry of Industry and Production regarding the generalization of the use of electric bikes across the country.

The cabinet was told that petrol-powered motorcycles in the country will be replaced by electric bikes in a phased manner.

The Ministry of Industries and Production said that currently 90 companies are manufacturing motorcycles and auto-rickshaws in Pakistan and the country has the capacity to manufacture six million motorcycles annually. In Pakistan, 22 companies have been issued licenses to manufacture electric bikes.

  The meeting was further informed that the promotion of electric bikes in Pakistan will result in considerable savings in terms of fuel. The use of electric bikes will not only save fuel, but these eco-friendly electric bikes will also reduce carbon emissions.

The Prime Minister directed to submit a detailed plan regarding electric bikes to the Economic Coordination Committee.

Which e-bikes are available in Pakistan?

In Pakistan, although currently 22 companies have obtained licenses, only five companies have e-bikes available in the market.

Jaguar Electric Bike 70cc

The Jaguar Electric Bike has a range of up to 71 km on a fully charged battery. Its speed is very good and sound is very low. Its battery is fully charged in 5 hours.

Jolta Electric Bike

Jolta Electric is a Pakistani company that is manufacturing four models of electric bikes and one scooter. Their speed is 50 to 80 km. JE 70L, JE 70D, JE 100L, JE 125L, JE Scooty is specially designed for women.

For the 125 enthusiasts, the J125L with almost the same features has a top speed of 80 to 100 kmph. Although its battery is advanced, it can be charged anywhere.

E-Bike T

The company is also manufacturing four types of electric bikes including e-Bike T60, e-Bike T70, e-Bike T75 and e-Bike T85.

These bikes are charged in three to five hours and have a speed limit of 50 to 100 km depending on their power. These bikes start without kick while their tires are also tubeless. Their size is also smaller than other motorcycles.

Neon M3 Electric Bike

It is a sports bike with a 2000 watt motor and a speed of up to 90 km. Its transmission is automatic. The bike has auto locks which are keyless while its battery feature is that the bike shuts off automatically when it gets down to 20%. Which can be fully charged in three to six hours.

Sunra Electric Bike

This full steel body electric bike can be driven at a speed of up to 60 kmph. It also has an anti-theft system while its battery is 1500 watts.

Electric Bikes Prices in Pakistan

Initially, the prices of electric bikes in Pakistan were relatively low, starting from 80,000 to 100,000, but with the increase in the value of the dollar, these prices have now crossed 100,000.

Jolta Electric Company CEO Usman Sheikh said the price of his bikes was initially Rs 82,500 which has now been reduced to Rs 112,000. With a dry battery the bike has a top speed of 50 km on the road with a range of 80 km with a fully charged battery. Similarly, the Jolta Scooty is priced at Rs 125,000.

The prices of other companies which were around 90 thousand have now reached 150 thousand.

Why are e-bikes a challenge in Pakistan?

According to experts, introducing e-bikes in Pakistan is a big challenge. One of the reasons for this is that petrol bike companies have a monopoly in the country and have the power to influence government policies.

Another major challenge in this regard is the local manufacturing of these bikes as the government is not in favor of imported bikes and this adds to Pakistan's import bill. This is the reason why e-bikes policy has also exempted taxes and duties on import of spare parts.

The third major challenge is that people in Pakistan are used to riding powerful bikes and are not much aware of factors like environmental pollution and energy saving. So it will take time to convince them.

In this regard, Jolta Electric Chief Executive Officer Usman Sheikh said that there is a need to spread awareness among people about the importance and utility of e-bikes.

Building public confidence in the sustainability and viability of electric motorcycles is not an easy task. The government can also increase the sales of e-bikes in the country with the facility of free registration and exempt them from various taxes. Consumers will move towards electric vehicles and bikes only once they are offered incentives.”