LAHORE
LUMS hosted the 2nd Symposium on Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in Pakistan in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Focused on ‘Accelerating the Electric Mobility Transition in Pakistan’ this year, the symposium brought together senior leaders, policymakers, academics, and industry experts. The event featured distinguished speaker sessions and panel discussions on progress, challenges, and ways for electrification of transportation in the country in line with global trends.
Dr. Shakeel Sadiq Jajja, Chair of the Symposium and Associate Professor, Suleman Dawood School of Business, LUMS, speaking on the scope of BEVs in Pakistan, shared that, “The electrification of transportation is rising in the last few years much more rapidly all over the world. The key environmental benefit attributed with BEVs is that they have zero tail-pipe emissions along with the low cost of operation. The environmental benefit is fully harnessed if these vehicles are powered through sustainable sources of electricity. At a different level, BEVs provide an opportunity to develop new supply chains and industries which are critical to the future of the economy such as batteries, robotics, big data, and analytics.”
The symposium covered critical areas ranging from the Electric Vehicle (EV) landscape in Pakistan, international best practices to industry perspectives on demand, supply, charging, and financing. The event also showcased an exhibition of EV-related products and services. It served as a pivotal platform for fostering dialogue and collaboration for the government and industry on the BEV value chain. Jen Jungeun Oh, Practice Manager, Transport, South Asia, at the World Bank shared that, “The EV symposium has brought together key stakeholders in the EV ecosystem in Pakistan and generated several useful takeaways.
