ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Saturday pledged to promote electric vehicles (EVs) across all segments of transport, with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif calling for a national policy on the subject to be finalized in consultation with stakeholders.

The move comes amid a steady rise in EV adoption in a market long dominated by Japanese automakers such as Suzuki, Toyota and Honda. Increasingly, Chinese and Korean brands are entering the space, with electric vehicles becoming more and more visible in cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

The government is hoping to ride this momentum to cut fuel imports and reduce emissions.

“Priority measures will be taken for the promotion of electric motorcycles, scooters, three-wheelers, cars and buses,” the prime minister said while chairing a meeting in Lahore to discuss the adoption of EVs.

The draft Electric Vehicles Policy 2025 was reviewed at the meeting, with Sharif calling for its urgent finalization “in consultation with all stakeholders” before being presented to the cabinet.

“Charging stations and battery-swapping stations must be ensured,” he said during the meeting. “Industries will also be facilitated to increase the manufacturing capacity of two- and three-wheelers.”

While EVs offer a way to reduce the country’s petroleum import bill and carbon footprint, the lack of infrastructure, frequent power outages and limited financing options remain key impediments to their widespread adoption and scale-up.

Yet industry experts believe existing players in Pakistan’s auto market will face stiff competition from various EV brands, with many seeing electric vehicles as poised to consolidate their place in the domestic market.