ISLAMABAD: UAE’s NWTN Inc. has signed an agreement with Pakistan’s JW Corporation to assemble and export new-energy commercial vehicles, marking one of the largest foreign entries into the South Asian nation’s emerging electric vehicle (EV) market, the companies said in a joint statement this week.
Under the Asset Contribution and Share Issuance Agreement, NWTN will have exclusive use of JW’s complete knock-down (CKD) automotive assembly facility in Lahore’s China-Pakistan Special Economic Zone and access to the company’s nationwide sales network of more than 400 outlets.
Leveraging the 563,000-square-foot facility and established distribution channels, NWTN aims to bring “market-competitive multifunctional new energy commercial vehicles to the global market.”
“This collaboration introduces advanced EV technology to Pakistan’s manufacturing ecosystem. Through CKD operations at JW-SEZ, we aim to develop South Asia’s premier new energy commercial vehicle export base,” JW Corporation CEO Muhammad Javed Afridi said in a press release this week.
NWTN CEO Benjamin Zhai said the tie-up “advances the UAE’s sustainable manufacturing goals under its national vision while leveraging Dubai’s trade hub status to globalize our OEM partner’s brand.”
Pakistan’s EV sector remains nascent, with fewer than 15,000 EVs on the road and sales dominated by electric two- and three-wheelers. The government’s EV Policy targets 100,000 electric cars and 500,000 two- and three-wheelers within five years, but progress has been slowed by high costs, limited charging infrastructure and low consumer awareness.
Foreign investment in local EV assembly has gathered pace, with Chinese automaker BYD planning to begin production in Pakistan by mid-2026.
Industry analysts say such ventures could help Pakistan position itself as an EV manufacturing and export hub for regional markets.
The government slashed power tariffs for chargers by 45 percent in January to encourage EV uptake and private charging stations.
