‘EVs to adversely impact economy’

Auto firm chief terms HEVs immediate solution to forex outflow

ISLAMABAD:

The promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) will have a negative impact on the local auto industry and the national economy, remarked Indus Motor Company (IMC) Chief Executive Officer Ali Asghar Jamali.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the IMC chief said that hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) were an immediate solution, as they consume less foreign exchange by cutting the oil import bill besides reducing carbon emissions (CO2). Moreover, there would be no infrastructure investment.

Elaborating further, he said HEVs include “cleaner emissions as compared to the internal combustion engines as the hybrid cars employ both electric and internal combustion engines, thus resulting in reduction in emissions”.

“Less fuel dependency is another benefit of HEVs as with an electric motor to support the primary petrol engine, there is additional power available, and therefore, there is less dependency on fossil fuels,” he mentioned.

“Moreover, smaller engines do not have to power the hybrid car alone since there is an electric motor while petrol engines used in hybrid cars are smaller in size and comparatively fuel efficient,” he underlined.

“Besides, every time the brake is applied in a hybrid vehicle, the electric generator generates electricity and recharges the battery and this eliminates the need to stop the vehicle to charge it.”

On the other hand, he said that the highest vehicle electrification rate was in Europe and EU electricity generation was mostly based on renewable and nuclear.

However, in Pakistan, electricity generation was based on fossil fuels with 25% line losses, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2022.

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