PM launches Pakistan’s first locally-manufactured electric bike

Prime Minister Imran Khan launched Pakistan’s first-ever environment-friendly electric motorbike (E-bike) in a ceremony today (Thursday).

In a ceremony, the prime minister praised the initiative, saying that his government will introduce measures to ensure Pakistan generated wealth.

He said if the country did not generate its own wealth, Pakistan will time and again have to seek loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Our people have been tested time and again, and each time, they have done well,” he said, speaking words of praise for the common Pakistani’s generosity.

The prime minister said his government was focused on saving the taxpayers’ money through measures of austerity.

“We are undertaking these measures to ensure that the public’s confidence in the government’s tax system is restored,” he stressed.

PM Khan said e-vehicles were important for Pakistan as they would help reduce environment pollution. He lamented how previous governments had failed to take measures to protect the environment, stressing on the importance of the Billion Tree Tsunami initiative of the government.

The prime minister said Pakistan’s cities were expanding at a rapid pace, due to the population growth. He said Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi had grown rapidly and were continuing to do so without planning.

He said when these cities expanded without proper planning, they faced water, pollution and other issues.

PM Khan regretted how previous governments had taken loans from the IMF and as a result, hindered wealth generation. He said it was of paramount importance that Pakistan utilised its raw materials to manufacture products and reduce its reliants on imports.

“The more dollars coming in, in a country, makes it rich,” he said. “On the other hand, if the dollars start going out more than they come in, the country becomes poorer,” added the premier.

The launching of the E-Bike was part of the present government’s five-year Pakistan Electric Vehicles Policy 2020-2025, approved last year and envisaged targeting a robust electric vehicle market having a 30% and 90% share in passenger vehicles and heavy-duty trucks by 2030 and 2040 respectively.

The salient features of the policy included a phased transition of the automobile industry, as it would be covering two and three-wheelers and heavy commercial vehicles providing incentives to manufacturers.

The E-Bike, to be launched by the prime minister had been manufactured by a Pakistani company, Jolta Electric, and was considered as a major step towards electrifying the country’s automobile industry.

The E-Bike, to be available in various models including JE-70, JE-70 L, JE-70 D, JE-100 L, JE-125 L, JE-Scooty, JE-Sports Bike, is energy efficient and can be charged overnight with other features such as no clutch and gear and low maintenance.

Various models of Jolta E-Bikes have different speed specifications from 10 to 60 kilometres per hour and can cover a distance after full charge from 60 to 100 kilometres.

Jolta EV technology, an initiative by AUJ Technologie Pvt. Ltd, was the EV technology provider, designed key components of electric vehicle kits for two, three, and four-wheelers. It had been through five years of product designing, development and manufacturing experience in China.