ISLAMABAD: Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have raised concerns over the slow development of charging infrastructure and high cost of EVs as the government looks to transition from fossil fuel to clean energy.

The EV industry representatives raised these issues at a consultative meeting with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCCEC) on Friday.

The meeting, chaired by MoCCEC Secretary Aisha Humera Moriani, discussed strategies for accelerating the transition to electric mobility, scaling up charging infrastructure, vehicle retrofitting and financing mechanisms to support the shift from fossil fuel to clean energy.

The industry representatives stressed the need to develop modern charging facilities, particularly along highways and motorways, to support the sector’s sustainable growth.

Secretary Moriani acknowledged these concerns, stating that inadequate charging infrastructure, particularly in urban areas, was a major barrier.

Without significant investment in this area, the transition to electric mobility will remain out of reach, she added.

The meeting, also attended by senior government officials, discussed plans to simplify the financing of EVs to increase their affordability.

The participants highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of this transition and called for robust national commitment and enabling policies to enhance EV penetration.

Retrofitting of fossil vehicles

The discussions also centred on converting the existing fleet of fuel-powered vehicles to electric through retrofitting.

Muhammad Asif Sahibzada, the director general for environment, noted that Pakistan has over 37 million fuel-powered vehicles, including 28.7m motorcycles, which are major contributors to pollution.

“Standardised retrofitting offers a cost-effective, scalable solution, especially in the motorcycle segment, which dominates Pakistan’s transport landscape,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2025