ISLAMABAD: If you are tired of repairs and fuel costs like Mukhtar Ahmed and want to convert your bike into an electric bike, here is good news for you.
Mukhtar Ahmad, a resident of Rawalpindi, has an old 70cc motorcycle with a weakening engine. He uses it for ride-hailing, food delivery, and family errands. He faces the high cost of repairs and fuel every month.
While considering alternatives to reduce his repairs and extra fuel expenses, Ahmed learned about a local solution: a kit that converts petrol-powered motorcycles into electric bikes.
The kit, developed by the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), could change the way millions of Pakistanis use their bikes. The government is reviewing the kit, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set to receive a briefing.
COMSATS says that there are over 28.7 million motorcycles in Pakistan, consuming 60% of the country’s fuel in the transport sector.
Converting these bikes to electric could save Pakistan up to $4 billion annually and help reduce fuel costs for bike owners, potentially saving Rs. 10,000 per month.
Affordable Solution to convert your bike into electric bike
The locally made kit, about 30% cheaper than imported alternatives, also contributes to Pakistan’s sustainable development goals by reducing air pollution and encouraging alternative energy. The motor and battery are locally produced, making it more affordable.
Muhammad Aslam Azad, a technologist at COMSATS, told Urdu News that the kit pays for itself through fuel savings within six months to a year. Unlike imported kits, the local version can handle the load of a family, balancing the bike’s existing gear. The kit also comes with an app that tracks battery performance, ensuring transparency.
Azad added that after extensive testing, the kit has passed all quality checks from the Ministry of Science and Technology. With government approval, mass production will begin soon.
Electric bike market cost
While electric bikes in the market cost between Rs. 250,000 and Rs. 400,000, they are often impractical for families. Most cannot carry multiple passengers or navigate steep areas like Daman-e-Koh or Murree. The new kit addresses these issues by accommodating family loads.
You can charge the battery at home using a regular electrical outlet, without needing a dedicated charging station, and it won’t significantly increase your electricity bill. The kit offers three battery types, ranging from 50 to 100 kilometers per charge, and allows for easy battery upgrades later.
COMSATS Executive Director Nafees Zakaria highlighted the potential of locally produced electric bike kits and stated that working-class families primarily own the 28 million motorcycles in Pakistan, relying on them for their main mode of transport.
Zakaria stressed that the future of electric vehicles lies in local innovation, not imported kits.
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The Engineering Development Board has granted licenses to 51 companies for assembling electric bikes from imported parts, but Zakaria believes converting existing motorcycles offers a more sustainable solution.
He said that producing kits locally will reduce dependence on imports and allow for innovation. Zakaria also said that the Prime Minister has expressed interest in the proposal and is ready for a briefing.
Zakaria aims to set up a production unit capable of producing 1,500 kits a day. However, he argues that multiple production plants are needed to bring electric bikes to the roads quickly.
He said that new electric bikes are costly, and many current bike owners cannot afford them. Converting existing motorcycles is a more feasible solution to addressing fuel costs and environmental pollution in Pakistan.
