Pakistan eyes Chinese tech for electric vehicles(EVs)
As reported on Wednesday by Radio Pakistan, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal highlighted Pakistan’s interest in utilizing China’s technological advancements in the electric vehicle (EV) sector.
Pakistan and China have a time-tested strategic relationship based on trust, cooperation, and regional links. A partnership of several decades has spanned multiple domains including commerce, energy, defense, and infrastructure, marked by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project turned development vision.
During an official visit, Iqbal told the media in Beijing that Pakistan wished to take advantage of the technological access China provides.
“The Pakistan government is very keen on Chinese technology and, as an example, next-generation batteries like sodium-ion batteries that are more efficient compared to lithium technology.”
Iqbal added that Pakistan is China’s partner in the EV sector and considered electric vehicles to be a crucial future cooperation area.
The Minister maintained that relocating EV production facilities to Pakistan would be beneficial due to lower operational and production costs, while also helping the country reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
In order to improve bilateral ties between the two nations and move forward with plans for economic cooperation and development, the planning minister is currently in China on an official visit.
Iqbal met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing last week, where they talked about business-to-business collaboration, industrial development, and the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Lu Hao, the president of China’s Development Research Center and Center for International Knowledge on Development, met with him on Sunday. Iqbal said during the meeting that Pakistan and China’s close economic cooperation was essential to the country’s progress.
Individually, the government yesterday sanctioned a subsidy scheme amounting to Rs100bn for the deployment of 116,000 electric bikes and 3,170 electric rickshaws/loaders.
The scheme is expected to help in fostering the adoption of EVs in Pakistan, reduce the oil import bill, and support the green agenda of the country. It’s reported that the PM will formally launch the initiative on August 14.
Published in Daily Pak, August 6th, 2025
