Shell and K-Electric have joined hands to establish the first three electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Karachi and on its connecting highways.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the two firms, specifying that Shell would be responsible for designing the station, deploying the charging devices, planning the sites, and overseeing the construction and operations, while K-Electric will ensure that the grid is strengthened for continuous power supply.
According to the current government vision 2030, the 60% of Pakistan’s electricity will be green and around 30% of the vehicles used will be electrified. To bolster the electric car market government recently approved a policy to encourage the use of electric vehicles in the country, in line with its vision.
The first three locations designated for the installation of charging stations with 50KWH quick chargers will be Askari filling station in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Mardan filling station in Gadap Town, and Shell filling station in Defence’s Khayaban-e-Bahria.
In the next couple of years, Shell and K-Electric will look to enhance the EV charging network further by installing more sites. By looking into other mutually beneficial business opportunities, the two companies have also expressed a desire to further increase their business relationship.
Taha Magrabi, Shell Retail GM, said during the MoU signing ceremony that the Government of Pakistan approved the EV policy to confront the effects of climate change and provide affordable transport to people.
In addition to this Shell GM also stated that “Together with K-Electric, Shell plays a vital role in this segment and willing to support the EV policy and its goals with our cooperation.”
Pakistan’s first electric vehicle charging unit was installed on Jinnah Avenue in Islamabad in July 2020 and the facility was set up by Attock Oil. Moreover, the government is also moving ahead with its plan to set up around 24 electric vehicle charging points all over the country.
