Karachi Port Trust (KPT) has successfully processed the first-ever commercial shipment of Chinese Automaker BYD electric vehicles, signaling a significant development in Pakistan’s automotive sector. The shipment arrived at Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT), a private facility within KPT.
The introduction of BYD’s electric vehicles into the Pakistani market is expected to drive advancements in the local auto industry by promoting cleaner transportation alternatives.
In August 2024, BYD, a global player in electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy solutions, officially entered the Pakistani market, heralding a new era of eco-friendly transportation for Pakistani consumers. On August 17, 2024, the launch event in Lahore’s Expo centre was attended by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, who welcomed BYD’s arrival as a milestone in Pakistan’s journey towards sustainability.
Pakistan is the world’s fifth-largest nation by population that has seen Chinese companies including Great Wall Motor, Saic Motor and Chongqing Changan Automobile enter the market in recent years and compete with Japanese companies including Toyota Motor and Honda Motor’s local units. EV sales are still marginal in Pakistan relative to total auto sales.
In October 2024, Mega Motor Company (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of The Hub Power Company Limited (HUBCO), teamed up with BYD Auto Industry Company Limited, the world’s leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles (NEVs), to produce, market, distribute, and sell BYD brand passenger vehicles in Pakistan, along with technical license agreements for the associated products.
BYD, founded in 1994, is a global leader in the electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle industry, known for its innovative approach to sustainable mobility.
The successful handling of this shipment at KPT sets the stage for further imports of electric vehicles, paving the way for a greener and more technologically advanced transportation landscape in Pakistan.
