DICE Foundation has unveiled the prototype of Pakistan’s first ever Electric Car (aka Electric Vehicle or EV), Nur-E 75, on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day at the Beach Luxury Hotel in Karachi.
The car has been labeled Pakistan’s first ever electric vehicle (EV) because it will be the first locally produced vehicle in its category. However, the EV has been designed and developed by DICE Foundation, a US-based non-profit organization run by expatriate Pakistanis in the US and EU with support from local academia and industry.
The EV has been named Nur-E 75 (after Noor), while the name of the electric car’s company is JaXari (named after a scientist from the 12th Century, Ismael al-Jazari).
During the ceremony, the Chairman and Founder of DICE Foundation, Dr Khurshid Qureshi, said that it was a significant innovation for Pakistan as it will be a game changer for the country’s economy and well-being of the people. He said that Pakistan had only imported innovation since its inception 75 years ago, while others such as South Korea and China have flourished by leaps and bounds during that period.
“South Korea learnt to make television from Japan and now it is making better TVs,” he said during the ceremony. “I cannot stress enough on the significance of this innovation and how it will be a game-changer both for Pakistan’s economy as well as for the well-being of the people.”
He added that we have wasted enough time importing and that EVs were the future of the automotive industry, while sharing details about the Pakistan first ever Electric Car, the Nur-E 75.
Power and Battery
According to the details, the Nur-E 75 EV will be powered by a 107HP/200Nm single electric motor, which will be powered by a 35KwH battery. Furthermore, the range of the vehicle will be 210 kilometers with AC at a top speed of 120km/hr. However, the actual range of the electric car will be revealed once it comes on the road.
Moreover, the charging time for the Nur-E 75 electric car will be just under 2 hours using fast charging from DC chargers. However, this is yet to be tested by the company. Meanwhile, the slow charging will take around 7 to 8 hours from regular 220V outlet.
The EVs commercial production is expected to start from the last quarter of 2024, which means the car has a long way to go before we see it on roads. Furthermore, Dr Qureshi added that by the time the vehicle is commercially produced, the car will have 60% locally manufactured parts, which will increase to 80% within the next few years.
However, the country will continue to import raw materials like lithium, which is used in batteries, as it is produced by a handful of countries, including China, Chile, Australia, and Argentina. “Even Tesla is importing batteries from China,” Dr Qureshi added.
Design
The Nur-E 75 EV looks a lot similar to the Honda E and N-One, especially the front. However, the design feels really unattractive towards the rear and looked to be dated. Although, we can except changes by the time the vehicle is launched as it is only a prototype and the company may make several changes.
Here are some pictures of Nur-E 75 Electric Car, courtesy of PakWheels:
Nur-E 75 Price in Pakistan
Dr Qureshi was reluctant to share price of Nur-E 75 in Pakistan as it is too early in its development and the price could change significantly by the time of its launch. However, he did mention that the vehicle competes in the same segment as Honda-E and Nissan Leaf, which are priced at $40,000 and $35,000, respectively.
Although, the Nur-E 75 will be priced much lower in Pakistan. Furthermore, another official was noted as saying that price of Nur-E in Pakistan will be over Rs. 2 million, which may put it around Rs. million considering the competition. However, the company will have to offer a lot of features and a good quality to be able to sell the electric car close to the expected price.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan saw the launch of SIGMA, a hatch electric vehicle (EV), and it failed miserably as people were reluctant about its resale, parts availability and service even though the car offered some amazing feature such as solar charging with a pre-installed panel in the vehicle’s roof.
It bears noting that the vehicle’s price was also below the Rs. 2 million mark.
Read more: Sigma Motorsports Launches HS Q4 EV + Solar Car – Booking Open.
Nur-E 75 will have to take care of all these factors if the vehicle is to be successful in Pakistan.