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Giấy phép số 4978/GP-TTĐT do Sở Thông tin và Truyền thông Hà Nội cấp ngày 14 tháng 10 năm 2019 / Giấy phép SĐ, BS GP ICP số 2107/GP-TTĐT do Sở TTTT Hà Nội cấp ngày 13/7/2022.
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Pakistanis are increasingly buying electric motorcycles and installing rooftop solar to charge them as fuel prices rise amid the Middle East conflict. A few days after Iran blocked the Hormuz Strait, two electric motorcycle shops in Pakistan—about 1,400 kilometers away—saw a sudden surge in demand. Haseeb Bhatti, who converts gasoline-powered motorcycles into battery-powered bikes in Rawalpindi, said sales jumped 70% last month. Ali Gohar Khan, owner of an electric motorcycle shop operating for seven years, reported record sales, saying, “People fear they may not be able to buy petrol in the near future.”
The Middle East conflict has pushed global fuel prices higher, worsening inflation and adding to Pakistan’s post-pandemic economic slowdown. Pakistan imports nearly all its oil via the Hormuz Strait and has about 30 million gasoline-powered two- and three-wheeled vehicles, which remain the dominant transport mode.
To spur demand, the government launched the Pakistan Vehicle Electrification Plan (PAVE), effective from February. The program provides subsidies covering 20% of the price of two- and three-wheeled electric vehicles, along with zero-interest financing for the remainder. Finance Ministry adviser Adnan Pasha said there have been about 270,000 registrations—nearly seven times the initial target—under a program expected to end in June. Over five years, the government aims to subsidize 2 million EVs.
“Electrifying just 2 million vehicles could help save nearly half a billion USD annually in fuel imports,” Mr. Pasha said.
Rising electricity prices in 2023 have also encouraged households to install rooftop solar panels. The government is now seeking to link that solar boom with EV adoption. Mr. Pasha said using solar energy can reduce charging costs at stations and make home charging cheaper.
Ammar Habib, adviser to the Energy Minister of Pakistan, said EVs are “very good for the grid,” because charging demand can help absorb daytime solar surplus.
Experts also caution that electric motorcycle brands in Pakistan need to strengthen after-sales and maintenance networks, citing road conditions with potholes. They pointed to neighboring India, where electric bikes reportedly break down due to poor road conditions and limited repair options.

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