Making Electric Vehicles more mainstream.

Lack of a charging network is the biggest obstacle Tesla, which is without a doubt the main driving force behind the rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs), is now the most valuable car company in the World, surpassing the automotive giant Toyota... well, this is true at least as far as the financial pundits at the stock exchange are concerned. But last year Tesla produced and sold about 350,000 vehicles, but on the other hand Toyota produced and sold over 9 million vehicles in the same period. Still, less than 2 percent of cars sold in the USA are electric. It seems that the stock market likes Electric Vehicles much more than the actual buyers.

So much for the hype and glamour, but the mainstream buyers are still not switching to EVs. This phenomenon is true worldwide but even more pertinent in Pakistan despite the incentives being offered.

EVs drive better, they are more economical to operate and require less maintenance. They are nippy and quick around town and are generally fun to drive. And above everything else they are good for the environment... So why is it that they are not selling in really big-numbers?

When cameras went digital and the image quality started getting better and better, almost everyone switched to the digital cameras. It was, as they say, 'a no-brainer'. We don't even hear about the film cameras anymore. Companies like Kodak which were in the business of making camera films, went bankrupt. This was a major industry disruption. It would seem that similar scenario should take place for the EVs, but it does not seem to be happening, at least not the way it happened for the cameras.

If the EVs are to be encouraged the government should promote both the import and local production of plug-in-hybrids and offer same import duties for them as well so that people who tend to drive more than the range available on a charge on pure electrics can also benefit to reduce their expenses and carbon footprint for their daily drives. And at the same time make it compulsory for oil marketing companies to install fast DC chargers in strategic locations. Major EV importers should also be asked to actively participate in developing EV charging network in the country.

Almost all the major car manufacturers have come up with their version of EVs. Nissan, BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi. Even the Koreans are not far behind with Hyundai Kona and Hyundai Ionic. But one notable exception is Toyota. They have been in the best possible position to launch...