ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (APP):Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain on Monday said the establishment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by Chinese company StarCharge would help strengthen Pakistan’s EV infrastructure and promote the adoption of electric mobility.
Addressing the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between StarCharge and McDonald’s Pakistan, the minister said that Pakistan had launched an electric vehicle initiative under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who envisioned 30 percent of vehicles in the country being electric, including cars, motorcycles and three-wheelers.
The minister said he had formulated and announced the EV policy while serving as Minister for Industries and Production, under which electric motorcycles were also distributed.
He stressed that an accessible charging network was essential to make electric vehicles practical and popular among the public, adding that charging difficulties could affect their usability and efficiency.
He said the government had introduced measures to ensure charging facilities at major shopping malls and high-rise buildings and had made such facilities mandatory under relevant approval requirements involving the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The minister said charging infrastructure was particularly important along motorways and for long-distance travel, despite improvements in the driving range of electric vehicles.
Welcoming StarCharge’s entry into Pakistan, he said he had visited the company’s factory in China and examined its manufacturing facilities, describing it as one of the leading companies in EV charging solutions.
He said the government had invited the company to establish charging stations in Pakistan and welcomed its agreement with McDonald’s to install charging facilities at locations offering drive-through services.
The minister said the initiative was a positive development towards expanding charging access and accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in the country.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
