Islamabad: Pakistan’s first electric car prototype was unveiled on the country’s 75th Independence Day aimed to positively impact the economy, environment and local industries. The prototype was launched in Karachi on August 14 as a “gift to Pakistan” on its diamond jubilee.
The first locally-built electric car called ‘Nur-E 75’ is a joint collaboration of Dice Foundation, Pakistani-American motor engineers, universities and the private sector. The developers say it would be an affordable Electric Vehicle (EV). Mass production is expected by the end of 2024. The fully functional prototype is ready for testing and regulatory approval.
“This will be a game-changer both for Pakistan’s economy. The first Made in Pakistan electric vehicle Nur-E 75 is a significant development for the stability of the nation’s economy,” said Dr Khurshid Qureshi, the chairman of Dice Foundation, a US-based non-profit organization leading the country’s first electric car project. “Pakistan has taken its initial steps towards the new revolution in the automobile industry and this project will definitely solve Pakistan’s economic issues.”
The car’s first word ‘Nur’ means light. The company that would manufacture and sell the car is called Jaxari, named after the 12th-century Muslim scientist Ismail Al-Jazari.
• Max speed: 127km/h
• Seating capacity: 5 seater
• Range: 210 km on a single charge
• Charging time: 8 hours
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The all-electric Nur-E 75 has a top speed of 127 kilometres per hour (kph). The car has a 35-kilowatt-hour battery, 108 horsepower motor and would cover about 210 kilometres on a single charge of about 8 hours via a 220V connection which would approximately cost Rs900. It has a charging capacity at 220V in eight hours with fast charging also available.
The current prototype is a five-seater hatchback but the company has plans to launch sedans, SUVs and trucks later. The developers have planned three-phased production in which the first covers industrial design, production and launch, the second phase to expand it to Sedan and SUV and begin exports in the third phase.
This is the first car to be designed, developed and engineered in Pakistan, according to the manufacturers. “It has been designed by the National College of Arts (NCA) and all the components during the commercial production will be developed in Pakistan,” said Asif Malik DICE Ambassador in Pakistan. The battery pack was developed by the students of NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi and the chargers are being developed at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi.
Pakistan’s EV policy
Pakistan approved its national electric vehicles policy in November 2019 to tackle climate change, offer affordable transport and reduce dependence on oil imports, encourage the local car industry and create jobs. The country had set a target to convert 100,000 cars and 500,000 two and three-wheeler vehicles to EVs by 2025. Pakistan has also vowed to shift to 30 per cent electric vehicles by 2030 to switch over to an emission-free future.
