Friday, November 29, 2019

Brief Overview of Pakistan's Electric Vehicle Policy

Pakistan has a low level of motorization with just 9% of the households owning a car. Nearly half of all households own a motorcycle. Motorization rates in the country have tripled over the last decade and a half, resulting in nearly 40% of all emissions coming from vehicles. Concerns about climate change and environmental pollution have forced the government to to take a number of actions ranging from adoption of Euro6 emission standards for new vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) since 2015 and announcement of a national electric vehicle (EV) policy this year.

Vehicle Ownership in Pakistan. Source: PBS

EV Policy:

Pakistan electric vehicle policy 2019 sets EV adoption targets and includes incentives for buyers and manufacturers. It also focuses on development of nationwide charging infrastructure to ease adoption of electric vehicles. Here are some of the salient points of the policy:

 Policy Targets: 

1. Goal for cars: 30% of new sales by 2030 and 90% of new sales by 2040

2. Goal for 2 and 3 wheelers: 50% of new sales by 2030 and 90% of new sales by 2040

3. Goal for buses: 50% of new sales by 2030 and 90% of new sales by 2040

4. Goal for trucks: 30% of new sales by 2030 and 90% of new sales by 2040

Buyer Incentives: 

1. 1% GST for EVs vs 17% for regular vehicles

2. Lower electricity tariffs for EVs

Charging Infrastructure: 

1. Only 1% import duty on charging equipment.

2. Lower power tariffs for charging stations.

3. One fast DC charging station per 3km by 3km area in all major cities

4. DC fast chargers on all motorways every 15-30 km.

5. Ensure uninterrupted power on feeders for charging stations.

Manufacturer Incentives: 

1. All greenfield investments apply to EV manufacturers and those converting their existing facilities to manufacture EVs.

2. State Bank to offer lower rate financing for EV manufacturing.

Summary:

Announcement of National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2019 by Pakistan government is a step in the right direction. It is a forward looking step needed to deal with climate concerns from growing transport sector emissions with rapidly rising vehicle ownership. It also focuses on development of nationwide charging infrastructure to ease adoption of electric vehicles.  Meanwhile it's crucial that Euro6 emission standards be seriously enforced with proper inspections to limit emissions from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles being sold now.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

Vehicle Ownership in Pakistan

Low Carbon Energy in Pakistan

Pakistan Transport Sector

Recurring Cycles of Drought and Floods in Pakistan

Pakistan's Response to Climate Change

Massive Oil and Gas Discovery in Pakistan: Hype vs Reality

Renewable Energy for Pakistan

Digital BRI: China and Pakistan Building Fiber, 5G Networks

LNG Imports in Pakistan

Growing Water Scarcity in Pakistan

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Ownership of Appliances and Vehicles in Pakistan

CPEC Transforming Pakistan

Pakistan's $20 Billion Tourism Industry Boom

Riaz Haq's YouTube Channel

PakAlumni Social Network

23 comments:

Ahmad F. said...

All sounds good but do they have a solution lined up for the recurring power shortages?

Riaz Haq said...

AF: "All sounds good but do they have a solution lined up for the recurring power shortages?"

Pakistan is rapidly expanding generating capacity as detailed in the following Dawn report:

The government plans to increase the country’s power generation capacity by almost 300 per cent in next 20 years to 111,000 megawatts and phase out almost all of the existing thermal power plants to meet rising energy demand at affordable costs.

The move is part of the Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2018-40 finalised by the National Transmission and Despatch Company in consultation with all the federal and provincial agencies and private sector consultants to ensure low-cost development of future projects and to comply with regulator’s Grid Code obligations.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dawn.com/news/amp/1504502

Moaz said...

Thank you for the brief overview and crisp analysis of the new EV policy, Mr. Haq. This is the only place on the internet I could find actual details on the policy!
Keep up the great work.
As a Pakistani working at the International Council on Clean Transportation, I have been following the new EV policy with great interest. It is a great step forward. However, I share the concerns of some of my fellow Pakistanis. High-level goals aside, what are the instruments/institutions the federal government aims to utilize to make these plans a reality by 2030? Is the Ministry of Climate Change in tandem with the numerous other ministries who will see the execution of these policies?
Would love to have your opinion on that.

Riaz Haq said...

World s largest electric vehicles manufacturer BYD is all set to enter Pakistan. The announcement was made by Pakistan Electric Vehicles & Parts Manufacturers and Traders Association (PEVPMTA) General Secretary Shaukat Qureshi while talking to local media.

https://dunyanews.tv/en/Business/521071-BYD-electric-vehicles-manufacturing-Pakistan

“Toyota, the world auto giant, for the first time signed an agreement on November 7, 2019, to develop Electric Vehicles with BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicles manufacturer, with 44 plants around the globe employing 250,000 personals, with turnover of $250 billion," he said. “Scenario will definitely change in Pakistan as well, with the Japanese companies roll out their models by 2024," he added.

As a leading new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer, BYD has created a broad range of internal combustion (IC), hybrid and battery-electric passenger vehicles.

BYD s NEVs have ranked No.1 in global sales for three consecutive years since 2015. Developing electric vehicles that are intelligent and connected, BYD is inaugurating a new age of automotive innovation.

Riaz Haq said...

My quotes in story on Pakistan's Electric Vehicle Policy
----------------
Two cheers for Pakistan’s electric vehicle policy

https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/2019/12/04/two-cheers-for-pakistans-electric-vehicle-policy/

Riaz Haq, who worked in various tech firms for 35 years in the Silicon Valley and is an EV enthusiast, said with 32 million households and 17.5 million motorcycles registered in Pakistan, the motorcycle ownership has increased from 41% in 2015 to 53% in 2018. Pakistan is the fifth biggest motorcycle market in the world after China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

-----------------------

“It is a forward looking step needed to deal with climate concerns from growing transport sector emissions with rapidly rising vehicle ownership,” Haq wrote in his blog. He has recently bought a Chevy Bolt EV Premier “because of its 238 mile range on a single charge at a price 30% lower than Tesla 3”, after having test driven Tesla Models S, X and 3 and Chevy Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf and Leaf Plus.

Aware of the infrastructure that will be needed for EVs, Aslam sees it as an opportunity with a whole new service industry and numerous livelihood options opening up. “Pakistan is thirsting for new business opportunities and markets. Globally, China is leading the EV industry, like in the manufacture of batteries. If we build our capacity technologically, Pakistan can become a hub for exporting EVs – specially two and three wheelers. We have the appetite to lead and come up with innovative ideas like charging stations that run on solar.”

-------------------

All this will be possible, says Haq, because EVs are a lot simpler, “Easier to manufacture, have fewer parts and require fewer people on the assembly line saving labour costs.”

Riaz Haq said...

I'm quoted in Dawn's story on electric vehicles today. Most experts are lauding the policy as a step in the right direction. “It is a forward-looking step needed to deal with climate concerns from growing transport sector emissions with rapidly rising vehicle ownership,” Mr Haq wrote in his blog. https://www.dawn.com/news/1521204

Riaz Haq said...

#Solar & #Batteries Will Change #Energy Industry Forever. #Costs are down nearly 90% in past decade, and will be only $8 to $14 per MW-hour by next year, or about a penny per kW-hour. #Electricity @themotleyfool #stocks $RUN $TSLA $HASI $SPWR $BEP $NEE https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/12/11/the-moment-is-here-for-energy-storage.aspx

One of the biggest criticisms of renewable energy has been its inherently intermittent nature. Solar energy plants don't produce power at night, and wind turbines don't produce power without wind, so utilities need fossil-fuel or power plants to keep the grid running. Without a way to store renewable energy, fossil fuel will always be the backbone of the electric grid.

What's changed in the past few years is that energy storage is suddenly an economical asset to consider as part of the electric grid. If regulators and utilities find ways for energy storage to generate revenue, finance companies will open up their wallets and fund investment. Before long, energy storage could change energy forever.

Solving the revenue problem
Energy storage is starting to make financial sense, which is the only way it will ever be able to reach scale. Utilities see value in energy storage as a way to offset expensive peak generation on high-demand days. For example, in one time of use rate plan in Southern California Edison's territory (southern California) peak rates during the summer are $0.38 per kW-hr but rates during off-peak hours are just $0.13 per kW-hr. The $0.25 difference can be cost savings for homeowners with a battery by using the battery's energy during peak hours and charging during off-peak. Depending on the size of the battery, savings could be a few dollars per day for consumers and for utilities it means buying less power from expensive peaker plants, helping lower rates for everyone.

Utilities are also seeing it as a way to reduce transmission and distribution costs, and even put off investment in new power plants. Con Edison is using batteries as part of a plan to defer $1.2 billion in substation investments. And new bids from solar plus energy storage are beating the cost of building new power plants.

Residential and commercial customers are seeing value from a different angle, using energy storage to reduce electricity bills. SunPower (NASDAQ:SPWR), Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN), and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) are starting to build energy storage systems that reduce on-site electric bills and can even bid capacity into electric grids by creating a virtual power plant. There are different models for consumers, but the time of use rate savings I highlighted above is one option and another is commercial building owners saving on demand charges by batteries lowering their peak electricity usage each month.

There's now money to be made in energy storage, so if costs are low enough, the investments will make financial sense.

The cost problem
When batteries cost thousands of dollars per megawatt (MW), it was tough to justify their value to the grid because the up-front expense was too high. But costs have fallen nearly 90% in the past decade, according to NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE), and will be only $8 to $14 per MW-hour by next year, or about a penny per kW-hour. For perspective, the average kW-hour of electricity costs about 13 cents for retail users.

Combined directly with wind and solar, energy storage starts to become really compelling. NextEra Energy estimates that post-2023, wind plus energy storage costs will be $20 to $30 per MW-hour, and solar plus energy storage will be $30 to $40 per MW-hour. Natural gas is expected to match the solar-plus-storage costs.

As the cost of energy storage becomes competitive with traditional fossil fuel assets, there is a growing demand for battery installations and utilities and finance companies are finding ways to make it a profitable investment.

Riaz Haq said...

$9 Billion #Battery Project By #BMW, #BASF. Batteries/electric transmission account for 40% of cars’ costs. #Lithium-ion batteries are poised to power next generation of cars & to help #renewable energy like #wind and #solar. #electricity
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-09/-9-billion-battery-project-with-bmw-basf-gets-eu-green-light via @markets

The European Union’s plan to kick-start battery production and compete with Asian suppliers got a boost from the approval of 3.2 billion euros ($3.5 billion) in state aid for a landmark project that spans across seven nations.


The funds will unlock private investment of around 5 billion euros in the initiative by 17 companies, taking its total value to about $9 billion. It will include industrial and automotive giants such as BASF SE, BMW AG and Fortum Oyj, in order to support the development of innovative and sustainable technologies in lithium-ion batteries from mining and processing the raw materials to production and recycling.

“This is a very important step, even a breakthrough, in what I believe should be the new EU industrial policy,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said on Monday in Brussels. “We should really focus on the area that is very important for this technological competition, which is becoming more and more severe.”

The move by Brussels underscores growing European awareness that key industries risk falling behind if they don’t fill manufacturing gaps in energy storage technology. Lithium-ion batteries are poised to power the next generation of plug-in cars. They also promise to help balance electric grids transmitting renewable energy like wind and solar.

Under the battery project, which aims to be completed by 2031, member states were cleared to grant the following amounts of state aid:

Germany up to around 1.25 billion euros
France up to 960 million euros
Italy up to 570 million euros
Poland up to 240 million euros
Belgium up to 80 million euros
Sweden up to 50 million euros
Finland up to 30 million euros
Clean mobility is set to play an important role in the EU plan to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to present on Wednesday a detailed roadmap of her Green Deal to zero-out emissions.


Another EU battery project, coordinated by Germany, is under way and is likely to seek EU approval for state aid later this month, Sefcovic said. It will probably involve 12-13 member states and around 50 companies.

“The window of opportunity for the European battery industry is open until 2021-2022,” he said. “By then we have to be clearly able to demonstrate that we can manufacture the best batteries in the world on a massive scale, because this is when we expect the ramping up of the production of electric cars and demand in Europe.”

Batteries and electric transmission account for about 40% of passenger cars’ costs and the gap in nascent European production is largely being filled by Japanese and South Korean battery makers like Panasonic, LG Chem Ltd. and Samsung SDI Co. In the U.S., Tesla has built its own battery Gigafactory to satisfy demand for the cars it produces.

Riaz Haq said...

#Energy revolution is here, ushering in a shift toward clean energy. #Green options are beating out fossil-fuels. Cost of #solar panels fell by 80% 2010- 2018, lithium-ion #battery packs by 69% from 2014-2018; #LEDs declined 6X in from 2010 to 2014. #EV https://on.mktw.net/2rJMtEL

For the longest time, the prevailing narrative about renewable energy featured clumsy technologies, high costs, and burdensome subsidies. In the absence of strict mandates and far-reaching policy changes, the chances for mass adoption seemed slim. Electric vehicles (EVs) simply couldn’t go the distance, and LED lights were unattractive and unaffordable.

But now that these technologies have come of age, a new story is being written. Around the world, businesses, governments, and households are taking advantage of more cost-effective low-carbon technologies.

Owing to advances in information technologies (IT), green solutions can be integrated into business operations seamlessly. And as public support for these technologies has grown, so have the prospects for scaling up to a fully sustainable energy system.

As in any rapid transition, a full understanding of what is happening has lagged behind events. Many incumbent energy producers find it hard to believe that their world is undergoing a revolutionary change, so they insist that their heavily polluting technologies will remain relevant and necessary for some time to come.

Journalists, too, describe the transition with a degree of caution, because it is their job to be skeptical. And politicians and regulators are reticent to adopt a new perspective, even though they are already struggling to keep up with the pace of change in the energy industry.

To be sure, progress doesn’t come without setbacks, as the recent growth in energy-related greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions shows. Yet there is no doubt that the future of energy will be dramatically different from the recent past. In fact, the transformation is happening even faster than we think, owing to three key factors.

Cost-effective
First, sustainable-energy technologies are quickly becoming more cost-effective than the alternatives, enabling businesses to reduce pollution, increase efficiency, and provide more goods and services.

The costs of technologies ranging from wind and solar power to EVs and smart grids have plummeted, and the learning curve — the linear drop in costs as new technologies are deployed on an ever-larger scale — has held steady across the board.

The cost of installing utility-scale solar panels fell by 80% from 2010 to 2018. Likewise, the cost of lithium-ion battery packs dropped by 69% from 2014 to 2018; the price of LEDs declined sixfold in just four years, from 2010 to 2014.

What was once pricey is now cost-effective; it will soon be downright cheap.

Riaz Haq said...

#Pakistan govt inks deals for 560 MW of fresh #windenergy. Move in line with the country’s 30% national #renewables goal by 2030 https://renewablesnow.com/news/pakistani-govt-inks-deals-for-560-mw-of-fresh-wind-676632/

Pakistan’s Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) on Friday signed contracts with the developers of projects that will see the country expand its wind power capacity by 560 MW.

The government agency, which is tasked with promoting renewables installation in Pakistan, has inked implementation and guarantee direct agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) regarding 11 projects. The move is in line with the country’s 30% national renewables goal by 2030 and efforts to cut dependence on fossil fuel imports. The new capacity is expected to lead to the production of over 1.8 billion kWh of clean power per year, AEDB said.

Six of the schemes will be supported by the International Finance Corp (IFC), which on Friday signed agreements to finance the so-called Super Six project portfolio with USD 450 million (EUR 406.9m) in debt. Those power plants, with a combined capacity of 310 MW, will be installed in the Jhimpir wind corridor in Sindh province and will be able to generate enough electricity to cover the annual needs of 450,000 homes while offsetting around 650,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually, IFC said in a separate statement. It will provide some USD 86 million in funds from its own account and USD 234 million mobilised from other lenders.

The 11 projects are expected to become operational by 2021.

Riaz Haq said...

IRENA Pegs #Pakistan’s Total #RenewableEnergy Capacity By 2018-End At Over 13,000 MW, With #Solar Contributing 12% Or More Than 1,500 MW. Target: 30% of installed capacity to be #renewable by 2030. #cleanenergy #ClimateChange http://taiyangnews.info/markets/pakistans-cumulative-solar-capacity-tops-1-5-gw/

At the end of 2018, the cumulative installed solar energy capacity of Pakistan had reached 1,568 MW, increasing from 742 MW at the end of 2017, representing an addition of over 800 MW in a single year. These statistics are published in the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) annual report, Renewable Capacity Statistics 2019.

The report tracks renewables growth of several countries starting from 2009. For Pakistan it means solar power capacity of 4 MW in 2009 has now grown to 1.5 GW, accounting for 12% of out of 13 GW of total renewable energy capacity of the country in 2018.

Globally, a total of 171 GW of new renewable energy capacity was installed in 2018, growing 7.9% annually, of which 84% came from wind and solar alone. In concrete terms, solar added 94 GW of new capacity with Asia accounting for 64 GW, while wind grew by 49 GW.

According to an April 2018 Renewables Readiness Assessment report of IRENA, Pakistan does not have a clear renewable energy target, which the agency says is a must to ‘translate political will into a language that can be understood by investors’.

The World Wind Energy Association reported on April 2, 2019 that the new government in the country under Prime Minister Imran Khan plans to increase the share of renewable energy in total power generation to 30% by 2030, from wind, solar and biomass, and additionally 30% from large-scale hydropower. It would be a 26% points increase from the current renewables share of 4%. Pakistan is working on its Renewable Energy Policy 2019 whose guiding principles have been approved by the government’s Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE).

As per January 2017 directives issued by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) of Pakistan, the country should be moving towards a competitive bidding process for utility scale solar and wind power plants, something that’s yet to take place.

In a December 2018 report, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) wrote that the country could reach 12.4 GW of total installed solar power capacity by 2029-30, provided the government came up with clearly defined targets for long-term renewable energy policy (see IEEFA Suggests 30% RE For Pakistan By 2030).

Riaz Haq said...

Number of dentists in Pakistan is growing at a rate of 2000 per year.

There are now 22,595, according to Pakistan Medical Dental Council (PMDC), 100% growth in 10 years.

https://twitter.com/bilalgilani/status/1221135942209167362/photo/1

https://twitter.com/bilalgilani/status/1221135942209167362?s=20


Rapid growth in dentists is an indication of Pakistan's growing middle class.

American health journalist Mary Otto links access to dentists with class divide sand affordability.


https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/class-politics-teeth-oral-health-dentistry-inequality

"The Class Politics of Teeth. Inequalities in oral health and dental access reflect our deepest social and economic divides".

Riaz Haq said...

BREAKING DOWN EV MYTHS IN INDIA – WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT?
By Atul Mudaliar, Head of Business Actions, Climate Group


https://www.theclimategroup.org/news/breaking-down-ev-myths-india-what-have-we-learnt

Myth

Fact

Written by

CHARGING

We need a dense public fast-charging network

From global examples, regular home or destination slow Alternating Current (AC) charging infrastructure should suffice for most uses (70-80%). Direct Current or DC fast charging would be required only in cases of highway charging or commercial charging where vehicle utilization is high, and vehicle idle time is low.

By Maxson Lewis, Managing Director, Magenta Power – ChargeGrid



TECHNOLOGY

EVs are slow and have limited range

Electric cars and high-speed electric two-wheelers have advanced high-performance ‘powertrains’. These vehicle systems can offer better acceleration in comparison to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrains and allow comfortable speeds for intra-city driving.



From a sample size of 85 e-2-wheeler models and 5 e-car models on the Indian market today, average range was 84 Kilometers (kms) and 300km per charge respectively, which is more than enough for day-to-day use.

By Jyoti Gulia, Director – JMK Research and Analytics

ECONOMICS

Electric vehicles are more expensive than ICE vehicles

When comparing the upfront cost, fuel costs and maintenance costs, we find that running EVs for more kms/day results in substantial fuel cost savings over ICE vehicles, making EVs much cheaper over their lifetimes.

Co-authored by Falgun Patel, The Climate Group and Nishant Saini, Founder & Managing Director – eeeTaxi

POLICY

There is no government support for electric vehicles in India

In India, governments (Central and State) have consistently promoted manufacturing and adoption of EVs. Capital subsidies on purchase of EVs under Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles II (FAME II), Goods & Services Tax (GST) on EVs has been reduced from 12% to 5%, an income tax deduction of INR 1,50,000+ can be claimed on the interest paid on loans taken for EVs.

By Charu Lata, Lead Consultant – Electric Mobility, NRDC India

VEHICLE EXPERIENCE & SHARED MOBILITY

EVs give unsatisfactory vehicle experiences



Electrified shared mobility could lead to range anxiety

Today’s new-age electric vehicles are adequately powered and can achieve speeds like ICE vehicles. The EV transition has allowed automakers to integrate technology like Artificial Intellegence and IoT, thereby enhancing user experience.



Shared e-mobility is an essential solution to solve congestion in cities. The average daily run of a vehicle in a city is much lower than the corresponding average EV range. With tech-enabled shared e-mobility infrastructure, the user is always aware of the estimated remaining range and nearest charging/battery-swapping station, making range anxiety a non-issue.

By Vinay Rotti, Head – Policy & Strategic Finance at Bounce and Pradeep Karuturi, Policy and Government Partnerships at Bounce

EMISSIONS

Charging EVs with India's electricity grid is worse than driving ICE vehicles

Transport and Environment finds that EVs manufactured and charged with Poland's electricity reduce CO2 emissions by ~29% compared to average of petrol and diesel CO2 emissions. India, in fact, has a slightly better grid emission factor than Poland, which means EVs already reduce emissions.

By Abhishek Ranjan – Energy and Electric Mobility Industry Expert in India

WHAT NEXT?
It is necessary for a myth to be proven right or wrong for it to emerge as a fact. Like many transitions witnessed in the technology domain, EV myths in India too will have to traverse this journey to see where we are now and find integrated and innovative ways to move forward. However, we now know that they are naturally conquerable, and will change over time.

Riaz Haq said...

China’s push into electric vehicles began just over a decade ago, spearheaded by a former engineer for Audi named Wan Gang. While more than 30 billion yuan ($4.54 billion) in subsidies attracted many worthless start-ups, a handful survived. Nio listed in New York in 2018 and has climbed more than 340% since. Li Auto and Xpeng went public in the U.S. this year and their shares are up more than 65% and 35%, respectively.


https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/23/chinas-electric-car-strategys-implications-for-us-energy-security.html

-------------
While California-based Tesla captured popular attention for electric cars, national policy in Beijing encouraged the launch of several rivals in China, the world’s largest auto market.
“Over the next five years we anticipate Chinese players across the EV supply chain to aggressively enter the overseas market,” UBS analysts wrote in a note Wednesday.
Once a fringe item in a global energy market centered on oil, electric vehicles are part of a potential new ecosystem that includes self-driving cars and ride-hailing, says Daniel Yergin, vice chairman at IHS Markit.


Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan will have 30% #ElectricVehicles by 2030. Along with #Denmark and #Norway, #Pakistan co-chairs a 32-nation Group of Friends on Sustainable #Energy, which is committed to a transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy. #renewableenergy https://www.dawn.com/news/1594548

Pakistan has informed the international community that it’s working on a plan to ensure that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of the vehicles used in the country are electronic.

Along with Denmark and Norway, Pakistan co-chairs a 32-nation Group of Friends on Sustainable Energy, which is committed to a transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy.

Pakistan is also a member of the Group of Friends on Climate Change, which is also committed to promoting the use of safe, renewable energy.

Speaking at a virtual meeting of this group in New York earlier this week, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram warned that most developing countries could fail to fulfill their commitments to the goal of creating a clean environment if they were not helped in making an adequate recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD

“If developing countries are destitute, if there are humanitarian disasters, if we are unable to recover from Covid, I think all other actions for many developing countries will become irrelevant,” he said. “So urgent and immediate actions are needed.”

The Pakistani envoy, who is also the president of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), urged major emitters of harmful gases into the atmosphere to fulfil their commitment to creating a safe and clean environment for all.

“There are positive indications I agree, but I believe that these should be made much clearer as we go forward, especially from the biggest country, the United States,” he said. “We look forward to what the new US administration will have to say in the coming months.”

Urging the world’s leading nations to fulfil their pledge for the hundred billion annual commitment on climate finance, Ambassador Akram said: “I think for many developing countries that will be an acid test.”

Pakistan, he said, was one of the smallest emitters of carbon in the world, but it’s also one of the most vulnerable countries with devastating environmental impact.

“We have an extensive and ambitious plan, both on adaptation, mitigation,” he said, adding that Pakistan was committed to meeting the targets set by various international agreements for promoting clean energy.

“We are also a champion on financing investment in renewable energy, and we look forward to playing that role as well,” he said.

Ambassador Akram also underlined the need for concrete progress on development transfer and deployment of technology in developing countries.

In August, Pakistan unveiled a plan to boost the share of renewable energy to 30 per cent by 2030, up from about 4 per cent today.

During the first phase, Pakistan aims to increase the share of renewables in power mix to 30 per cent by 2025. The targeted mix will include mainly wind and solar power, but also geothermal, tidal, wave and biomass energy.

With boosts in hydropower capacity, Pakistan hopes to bring the share of clean energy in its electricity mix to 65 per cent by 2030.

But plans to build seven more coal-fired power plants during the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project could prevent the country from reaching this goal. Pakistan’s intended move to clean energy has also been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Riaz Haq said...

#Toyota set to roll out electric tricycle in #Pakistan. The modern electric tricycle can carry a weight of 150 kilograms and after a full charge it can run up to 60 kilometers. #ElectricVehicles https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/759789-toyota-set-to-roll-out-electric-tricycle-in-pakistan

Toyota is all set to introduce electric tricycles in Pakistan to meet the demand of low-cost and fuel-efficient transport mode in the country with growing auto market demand.

An agreement between Hiroyuki Toyoda, chairman of T-Trike Company – a subsidiary of Toyota Motors – and Rana Abid Hussain, president of Pak-Japan Business Council, was recently signed for the distribution rights of electric tricycles.

Hussain told The News that initially 3,000 electric tricycles would be introduced in Pakistan, while in the next phase the electric bicycle will also be manufactured locally for which talks are underway.

The council president said the chairman of the company is scheduled to meet the Ambassador of Pakistan in Japan Imtiaz Ahmed next week after which the formal exports will take place. Electric tricycle is manufactured by Toyota Motors, a world-renowned automobile company of Japanese origin.

The vehicle will be introduced in partnership with the Pak-Japan Business Council. The new electronic tricycle developed under the supervision of Hiroyuki Toyoda, a son of Kiichiro Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Motor Corporation. Hussain said electric tricycle is rapidly gaining popularity in Japan and the company has established 150 sales locations across the country. The modern electric tricycle can carry a weight of 150 kilograms and after a full charge it can run up to 60 kilometres.

Hussain said the tricycle can be easily used for courier services, vegetable hawkers and other small businesses. Without petrol this electric cycle will prove to be very economical, he said. Auto demand is fast increasing in Pakistan. With a wide gap of over 600,000 vehicles in demand and supply, used-cars are the most sought-after option. Cars are still expensive in the country ranked 154th in the world in terms of GDP per capita.

New auto policy is encouraging newcomers in Pakistan’s auto field that are importing semi knocked-down and completely knocked down cars in the country. Their prices are still out of range of majority of customers. Taxation is yet to be rationalised to make car ownership affordable, according to local analysts.

Riaz Haq said...

Worlds largest #Tesla #ElectricVehicle #Supercharger V3 Station Approved For Santa Monica, #California, with 62 V3 (250 kW) stalls. Currently, the largest Supercharger station in the world is in #Shanghai, #China, with 72 stalls of V2 (120 kW) https://insideevs.com/news/492495/massive-62-stall-tesla-supercharger-v3-station-approved/?fbclid=IwAR2DE4qB6Yniw5OSqGcTqd9SsoCTDsI0CuYwwh5lWKAIrKwdVRS-UtZE6Mc

Following long discussions and plenty of objections, Tesla will move forward with the two-facility 62-stall Supercharger site.
Just two days ago, we reported about potential plans for a massive Tesla Supercharger V3 station in Santa Monica, California. The Tesla site will be the largest of its kind in the world, with 62 V3 (250 kW) Supercharging stalls distributed between two facilities. After hours of discussion, the charging project was approved.

For reference, the world's largest V3 Supercharging station is in Firebaugh, California, with 56 stalls. Currently, the largest Supercharger station in the world is in Shanghai, China, with 72 stalls. However, the Shanghai station uses the former V2 (120 kW) Supercharging technology.


The Santa Monica Planning Commission finally approved the project with a 5-2 vote after hours of discussion, which was a result of objections and opposition to the future project. It will be located at 1401 Santa Monica Boulevard, with two sites separated by an alley. One site will house 36 stalls while the other will have 26. It will also feature solar power and battery storage.

Local residents mentioned concerns about the Supercharger station's fan noise, booming car sound systems waking people late at night, and the worry of homeless people trying to access the Supercharger station's restrooms, among other concerns. You can check out the Santa Monica Planning Commission’s vote by clicking on the video in the tweet above.

It's important to note that despite the lengthy question and answer session, as well as the long list of concerns, it comes as no surprise the commission approved the project with only two votes in opposition. While there are often concerns about such projects, there's something to be said about having the world's largest Tesla Supercharger station, and a progressive California city is arguably an ideal location for the charging facility.

Riaz Haq said...

Is #Apple #EV Under Development? Apple Has Hired Former BMW i3 & i8 Exec For #ElectricCar Project. Several #Tesla executives have moved to Apple over the years, but there's still no sign of any car or related platform. https://insideevs.com/news/513449/apple-hires-bmw-exec-ev/?fbclid=IwAR3MS9NY4us3c16PvlD8tDYnYv_o7bzULNZaxSlC9L8IeDaESuenCpPa6eY via @insideevs.com

Apple has been touting an EV on and off for years. It this the real deal now?
According to a recent article by Autoblog, based on information from sources familiar with the matter, Apple has hired Ulrich Kranz to head up its electric car project. Kranz is a former BMW executive with ties to the i3 and i8. A spokesperson from Apple has confirmed the hiring of Kranz.

A few months ago, Kranz left his role at self-driving startup Canoo, and it seems Apple jumped on the opportunity to hire him rather quickly. Kranz was actually the co-founder and CEO of Canoo. He left a senior vice president position at BMW to move forward with Canoo. His group at BMW worked on developing the i3 electric car and i8 plug-in hybrid.

For years, people have talked about the parallels between Tesla and Apple. There has also been much talk about the potential for the companies to join hands. Moreover, skeptics have pointed to a potential Apple Car as a "nail in the coffin" for Tesla. However, while Tesla continues to innovate, build global factories, and outsell all other EVs across the globe, Apple has certainly been taking its time.

Apple has also been very wishy-washy about its EVs plans, promising to bring the Apple Car to market, changing its mind, looking to other companies to build its cars, canceling the project, reinstating the project, and now, hiring a top legacy auto executive.

Many Apple fans will tell you this hire is a big deal since it means Apple definitely has plans to bring an EV to market. However, until there's proof that a car is actually coming, we're not holding our breath. Nonetheless, we'd love to see an Apple EV become reality, and we hope Kranz is the answer. If any company has what it takes to follow Tesla's lead, Apple should be on the list, but it could be a long road ahead.

Apple's car efforts started way back in 2014, but after just two years, the company decided to table the project in favor of an autonomous driving platform. Several Tesla executives have moved to Apple over the years, but there's still no sign of any car or related platform.

Do you have any faith in an upcoming Apple Car? Is this recent Apple hire enough to really get the ball rolling? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comment section below.

Riaz Haq said...

Tax breaks kick Pakistan's electric car shift into higher gear

https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/tax-breaks-kick-pakistans-electric-car-shift-into-higher-gear-2021-11-22/

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Pakistani businessman Nawabzada Kalam Ullah Khan had been planning to swap his family's petrol-powered cars for electric models for years.

But it wasn't until a set of massive tax cuts came into effect in July that the 29-year-old from Pakistan's capital Islamabad finally put in an order for two electric cars.

"Someone has to take the initiative to switch to these cost-efficient, environment-friendly vehicles in the face of increasing pollution in big cities - and we've done it," Khan said.

His new cars, he said now cost about five times less to run day to day than his old vehicles, a major incentive to make the switch.

Major Pakistan and Indian cities are struggling with dangerous levels of air pollution, with Pakistan's Lahore this week declared the most polluted city in the world.

Heavy use of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles for transport combined with smoke from seasonal crop burning make the problem particularly severe at this time of year.

But Pakistan's electric vehicle push is picking up speed, nearly two years after the country launched its ambitious green policy, which envisions a shift to 30% electric cars and trucks nationwide by 2030, and 90% by 2040.

Key to the shift are hefty tax exemptions for both electric vehicles imports and imports of parts and equipment to build the cars in Pakistan.



That has helped make the vehicles more affordable, industry figures said, as Prime Minister Imran Khan's government pushes ahead with its plan to cut carbon emissions and urban pollution.

The general sales tax on locally manufactured electric cars - those with batteries holding less than 50-kilowatt hours (kWh) of power - has dropped from 17% to nearly zero, said Asim Ayaz, general manager of the government's Engineering Development Board (EDB).

At the same time, the customs duty on imported electric car parts - such as batteries, controllers and inverters - is down to 1%.

The duty on importing fully built electric cars also has fallen from 25% to 10% for one year, Ayaz told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Officials say the tax relief is a big step toward implementing Pakistan's National Electric Vehicle Policy, originally passed by the cabinet in November 2019.


It aims to put half a million electric motorcycles and rickshaws and 100,000 electric cars, vans and small trucks into the transportation system by 2025.

"Definitely the tax exemptions make the price point (on electric vehicles) competitive," said Malik Amin Aslam, the special assistant to the prime minister on climate change.

"It makes it extremely attractive for the customer to go electric."

Aslam said if about a third of new cars sold run on electricity by 2030, as envisioned, Pakistan could see a big drop in climate-changing emissions and pollution.


Electric vehicles currently produce 65% fewer planet-warming gases than those running on fossil fuels, he said.

Pakistan ranks second, behind Bangladesh, according to a list of nations with the worst air quality compiled last year by IQAir, a Swiss group that measures levels of lung-damaging airborne particles known as PM2.5.

In Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province with Lahore as its capital, transport accounts for more than 40% of total air-polluting emissions, followed by industry and agriculture, according to a 2019 study by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization.

Shaukat Qureshi, general secretary of the Pakistan Electric Vehicles and Parts Manufacturers and Traders Association, said the new tax cuts mean savings of up to 500,000 rupees ($2,900) on imported small electric vehicles.

Riaz Haq said...

Tax breaks kick Pakistan's electric car shift into higher gear

https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/tax-breaks-kick-pakistans-electric-car-shift-into-higher-gear-2021-11-22/

Shaukat Qureshi, general secretary of the Pakistan Electric Vehicles and Parts Manufacturers and Traders Association, said the new tax cuts mean savings of up to 500,000 rupees ($2,900) on imported small electric vehicles.

He said many members of the association have used the incentives to order them for the first time.

There are no reliable figures on how many electric cars local importers have ordered brought into the country since the government announced the exemptions.

But in his other role as chief operating officer of car company Zia Electromotive, which imports and manufactures electric vehicles, Qureshi said he has ordered 100 small electric cars from China and plans to import 100 more every month after that.

Pakistanis - like many other people around the world - have historically been reluctant to switch to electric vehicles for reasons ranging from higher costs to lack of charging infrastructure and "fear of the unknown", said Ayaz at the EDB.

The tax cuts help remove the cost obstacle, he said - and could help create about 20,000 new jobs in the auto industry as Pakistani car companies start manufacturing electric cars, he predicted.

The charging infrastructure issue remains, though some companies have already established charging stations in big cities and along motorways.

Climate change and development expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said the government should encourage the private sector to install more charging stations near offices, homes and parking lots.

To overcome worries that electric vehicles may have no resale value, car manufacturers and dealers could offer buy-back guarantees, he added.

But, Sheikh said, simply selling more electric cars is not enough to tackle Pakistan's emissions and air pollution, since the total number of vehicles being sold - mainly traditional cars - is still growing every year.

He said the government needs to push to completely phase out fuel-run and hybrid vehicles by increasing taxes on them and provide affordable bank loans for people looking to buy electric.

"Poor people who use motorbikes and rickshaws deserve to have more electric vehicles on the roads to cut air pollution," he said.

Riaz Haq said...

Pakistan: How cheap is 'cheap electric car'? - BBC URDU

https://youtu.be/TsK-vBZEusY

پیٹرول سے نجات، ٹچ گیئر اور لیدر سیٹس۔۔۔ یہ پاکستان میں متعارف کروائی جانے والی الیکٹرک کار کی چند خصوصیات ہیں۔ اس کار کی چارجنگ کتنی دیر میں ہوتی ہے اور اس پر کتنا خرچہ آتا ہے، جانیے ہماری ویڈیو میں۔۔۔

Riaz Haq said...

Finding EV batteries
We never learnt how to make engines so why not try our hand at batteries. Only this time, not for ourselves.


https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/11/14/finding-ev-batteries-2/

Profit talked to a source at the Geological Survey of Pakistan, who on the condition of being anonymous, did tell us that there were various sites that had been identified with potential lithium reserves. Profit also reached out, persistently might we add, to Ahsan Iqbal, the Federal Minister of Planning & Special Initiatives. Sadly, we could not obtain a comment. Thankfully, his rejection indicates that there may actually be fire to the smoke because a flat rejection is very easy to give. More importantly, Pakistan has been touted to have lithium reserves as far back as 2005 based on a report by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

These reserves were touted to be in Chitral and in Gilgit-Baltistan, but we just never got around to exploring them. Why? A mixture of a lack of finances and aforementioned areas being subject to an insurgency movement not too long ago. Most importantly, these areas in Pakistan are not random places on the map by any means. They, alongside Afghanistan, are part of the Kafiristan Valley. What is the importance of this? Afghanistan is projected to have the largest lithium deposits in the world. And where in Afghanistan are they? Afghanistan’s Nuristan province is touted as one potential destination. It also borders Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, and thus we come full circle. So let us tell you why Pakistan will squander this entirely.

Haval, Pakistan’s most technologically advanced company as of right now, chose to build a hybrid electric vehicle rather than an electric vehicle. This is very important, and very concerning. Why do we say this? Because Sazgar, Haval’s parent in Pakistan, does have access to electric vehicles through its arrangements with China’s Haval and BAIC. Yet, they chose not to. Why? “Pakistan is currently not ready for an electric car but it is ready for a hybrid electric one.” Ammar Hameed, Director at Sazgar Engineering Works, told Profit. Now why does Hameed believe that to be the case?

“Electric vehicles are not possible in Pakistan because you need to first install charging points across the country. It’s currently not feasible to own an electric car. They are good for driving within a city but you would find it hard to travel for example from Lahore to Islamabad. They are adding charging stations on the motorway but you will have a shortage of chargers as more EVs come on the road,” Hameed told Profit. “You’ll have to wait half an hour to charge your car. Even with a supercharger, it will take 15-20 minutes to charge. Now imagine there are only two chargers on the motorway and you have four to five cars that need to be charged.” Hameed continued. He is not alone in his concerns

“People do not have the assurance e.g. When I go as a consumer to buy a vehicle, I would like to go from here to Islamabad to Multan to Bahawalpur in one go,” Dr Naveed Arshad, Associate Professor at LUMS told Profit. What does this lack of assurance mean? It means lower potential sales. What do fewer sales mean? Fewer companies want to actually launch electric vehicles. Now what is the importance of this, apart from wanting to find a more affordable alternative to the E-Tron? Lack of interest from the government, and likely subsequent governments to come. Profit understands that this is a sweeping statement so, therefore, let’s contextualise it by explaining how the State approaches industrial policy.

Riaz Haq said...

Prospects and Potential of Lithium in Pakistan; Known Occurrences, Ore Deposit Types and Future Prospecting Geological Survey of Pakistan 2021
July 2021
DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.21198.79685
Project: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mineral Exploration Projects by GSP Peshawar
Authors:
Yasir Shaheen Khalil
Geoscience Labs

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353549090_Prospects_and_Potential_of_Lithium_in_Pakistan_Known_Occurrences_Ore_Deposit_Types_and_Future_Prospecting_Geological_Survey_of_Pakistan_2021

The technical report "Prospects and Potential of Lithium in Pakistan; Known Occurrences, Ore Deposit Types and Future Prospecting" describes the Lithium potential of Pakistan. Different sources of lithium bearing phases in LCT type pegmatites of Chitral and Gilgit, super arid salt lakes of Chagai and Sindh and potential of lithium in the sea water of Exclusive Economic Zone of oceanic waters of Pakistan is discussed in details.