Daewoo Express, one of Pakistan’s leading inter-city transport service providers, is planning to introduce 200 China-manufactured electric buses gradually in the next two years. If it goes as planned, it will be the first EV-based inter-city bus service in Pakistan, according to a report published by Gwadar Pro on Thursday. The electric buses are expected to start operations during the summer of next year, and all 200 buses will be in operation by mid-2026. The electric buses will operate on short routes of a maximum distance of 225 kilometers so that they don’t have to stop during the journey to charge, as it would be inconvenient for passengers. These 200 electric buses will run on 17 short routes, such as Karachi to Hyderabad; Peshawar to Rawalpindi; Lahore to Faisalabad; Lahore to Sialkot etc. 

“We will have charging facilities at all of our terminals where these electric buses operate,” said Sheriar Hassan, General Manager at Daewoo Express. The company representative said that it is difficult to predict how the introduction of these electric buses will affect inter-city fares, as no one knows what the price of diesel and electricity will be by the time these buses are introduced. “However, it should be remembered that the upfront cost of electric buses is significantly higher than that of diesel buses. If this pilot project of 200 buses is successful, we may consider entering into the electric bus manufacturing business,” he added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China