Atlas Honda unveils plans for e-scooter built with Pakistani consumers in mind

ISLAMABAD: Atlas Honda said on Tuesday it will launch an electric scooter for the Pakistani market within the current fiscal year, marking a major step towards cleaner transport in the country.  

In a stock filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the company said the move aligns with the government’s newly announced National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, which aims to promote sustainable and locally manufactured transportation options.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, said the new policy supports Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of reducing reliance on fossil fuels, cutting carbon emissions, and boosting domestic manufacturing.

One of the key targets under the policy is to ensure that 30 per cent of all new vehicle sales in Pakistan are electric by 2030. The transition is expected to save 2.07 billion litres of fuel annually, potentially reducing the country’s import bill by nearly $1 billion. 

Atlas Honda said it was working closely with regulators to obtain the necessary approvals. “After completing required quality and road tests, the company intends to roll out the product within the current financial year,” the company said in its PSX notice.  

The move comes after company’s earlier trials with electric models. In 2023, Atlas Honda conducted a soft launch of its electric scooter model, ‘BENLY e’, at its Sheikhupura plant.  

Industry analysts say the entry of Atlas Honda’s electric bike could accelerate the adoption of EVs in the country. 

Read next: United US125 is a budget bike compared to Honda CG125 in Pakistan