By Azam Tariq

Charging infrastructure remains a key challenge to Pakistan's transition towards electric freight transport, with government and industry experts stressing that reliable power supply, servicing facilities and supporting infrastructure will need to develop alongside the gradual electrification of trucks and logistics fleets.

Pakistan has already included commercial vehicles and trucks in its broader electric-mobility framework. Under the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Policy 2025-2030, the government aims for NEVs to account for 30% of new sales of motorcycles, rickshaws, passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, buses and trucks by 2030.

The policy also targets 3,000 charging stations by 2030. It envisages gradually establishing roadside charging points at an average distance of 50 kilometres apart on major highways and requires oil marketing companies to equip 10% of their fuel stations in each province with Level 3 chargers.

Pakistan's existing NEV framework provides a policy base for this transition, but experts say the pace of electric freight adoption would ultimately depend on the development of charging networks, reliable electricity supply, servicing capacity and technical expertise. Building these elements alongside the wider EV market could allow freight electrification to expand progressively as commercial viability improves.

Speaking to Wealth Pakistan, a senior government official familiar with the matter said the NEV Policy provides a comprehensive framework for developing different segments of the electric-mobility ecosystem rather than pursuing vehicle electrification in isolation.

The government, he said, is following a phased approach, beginning with two- and three-wheelers, passenger cars and other relatively easier-to-electrify segments before progressively moving towards logistics and freight transport.

Heavy-duty truck electrification will become increasingly relevant as the market, charging infrastructure and supporting ecosystem develop further, he said.

"Electric vehicles and charging infrastructure have to develop side by side because the two are complementary. The growth of EV adoption needs to be supported by a parallel expansion of the required charging infrastructure," the official said.

He said the government's role is primarily to provide policies, regulations and institutional facilitation while creating space for private investment in charging infrastructure, batteries and other components of the EV ecosystem.

Efforts are also underway to streamline the No Objection Certificate (NOC) process for charging facilities, with dedicated electric vehicle cells and focal persons helping improve coordination with power distribution companies, he added.

Sundas Saifullah, Chief Operating Officer at Atom Power, told Wealth Pakistan that while Pakistan has taken a positive policy direction, its electric-vehicle ecosystem is still developing at a relatively small scale.

She said large-scale freight electrification requires more than the availability of electric trucks. A sufficiently broad charging network, reliable electricity supply, licensing arrangements and supporting infrastructure will be necessary before logistics operators can undertake an extensive shift towards electric fleets.

"Making just an EV policy is not enough. It must be a complete package of all the necessities complementary to it," she said.

Saifullah identified service workshops, product availability, battery-swapping facilities and trained technical personnel as key supporting requirements for wider commercial adoption.

She said charging facilities could be progressively developed in partnership with existing fuel stations, allowing Pakistan to use an established nationwide network as electric mobility expands.

The economics of freight transport also make infrastructure particularly important. Unlike passenger vehicles, commercial trucks operate on demanding schedules and routes, making charging availability, downtime, reliability and servicing important considerations for fleet operators evaluating a shift to electric vehicles.

China's experience provides a reference for how freight electrification can expand once supporting infrastructure and market demand reach a sufficient scale.

According to China's Ministry of Transport, sales of new-energy heavy-duty trucks reached around 140,000 units in the first half of 2026, up 78.6% year-on-year, while the country's fleet is expected to exceed 1.6 million units by 2030.

Chinese authorities also plan more than 3,000 charging and battery-swapping stations for electric heavy-duty trucks along freight corridors and at ports, mines, factories and logistics parks, illustrating the close relationship between vehicle deployment and dedicated freight infrastructure.

Saifullah said Pakistan should not attempt to replicate large-scale freight electrification immediately. Its priority should instead be to strengthen infrastructure and documentation, expand awareness and gradually create the conditions under which electric freight becomes commercially practical.

Credit: INP-WealthPk