Pakistan’s first public charging station opened for hybrid, electric vehicles

Foreseeing growth potential, Dewan Motors takes step towards electric mobility

The ChargeNow station allows BMW plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle owners to use the facility on the go. PHOTO: SHAHRAM HAQ/EXPRESS

LAHORE:
In an effort to remind customers that they are back in the market and to give competitors a run for their money, Dewan Motors inaugurated Pakistan’s first public charging station for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles at the Emporium Mall on Tuesday.

“Today is an important milestone for the BMW Group, not only does it mark the inauguration of the first public BMW charging station in Pakistan but also the first in the entire region. We call this service BMW ChargeNow,” said BMW Group Middle East Managing Director Johannes Seibert.

“Dewan Motors’ investment in this technology is a significant step towards supporting the BMW Group’s vision to offer electro-mobility internationally, and in providing easy access to charging stations for customers of our plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles,” he added.

By 2030, 60% of the world population is expected to live in cities. Foreseeing the growth potential of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles in the country, Dewan Motors took the step towards electric mobility by installing the BMW ChargeNow station.

This is the first of the three stations to be set up by the end of this year. Remaining stations will be opened in Karachi and Islamabad, the prime BMW product markets in Pakistan.


BMW ChargeNow is a network of charging stations that provides BMW plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle owners with easy, quick and secure charging services.

“The latest BMW plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles offer even greater mobility than conventional hybrid vehicles making it possible to have everyday motoring purely on electric mode with practically little to no requirement for fossil fuels,” said Dewan Motors Chairman Dewan Mohammad Yousuf Farooqui.

“Not only does this result in minimum to zero emissions, but also leads to tremendous fuel savings. This has a direct and very positive impact on foreign exchange reserves of the country,” added Farooqui.

In addition to these three stations, Farooqui said, more stations could be installed but it depends on how demand for BMW cars rise in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2016.

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