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KARACHI: China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, BYD, is gearing up to produce its first Pakistan-assembled EVs by July or August 2026, as confirmed by Danish Khaliq, Vice President of Sales and Strategy at BYD Pakistan.
The new facility is being constructed near Karachi, in collaboration with Mega Motor Company, a subsidiary of Hub Power (Hubco). Construction of the plant began in April 2024.
In its initial phase, the plant will assemble vehicles using imported components. However, some non-electric parts will be manufactured locally. The production will first focus on fulfilling domestic market needs. Export potential to other right-hand drive countries may be explored later, depending on shipping costs and financial feasibility.
The plant will be capable of assembling 25,000 units per year in a double shift, although no timeline was provided for reaching this output.
“We do not foresee excess capacity in our system as demand in Pakistan will catch up,” said Khaliq.
EV Market in Pakistan
BYD began delivering imported EVs in March 2024. Early sales exceeded internal targets by 30%, though exact figures weren’t shared. The company expects the EV and plug-in hybrid market to grow 3–4 times in 2025. In 2024, the market size was around 1,000 units.
Khaliq revealed that BYD is targeting a 30–35% market share within this segment by next year.
Strong Financials and Upcoming Launch
Based on recent filings by Hubco, BYD Pakistan posted a profit of Rs444 million ($1.56 million) in the March 2025 quarter.
To further expand its footprint, BYD is set to launch the Shark 6, a plug-in hybrid pickup truck, on Friday. This move will place BYD in direct competition with MG, which already offers a plug-in hybrid SUV in Pakistan, and Haval, which is also preparing to enter the market soon.
In a country still grappling with limited EV charging infrastructure, plug-in hybrids present a practical middle ground for consumers. To support this shift, the Pakistani government cut electricity tariffs for EV chargers by 45% in January, encouraging both private investment in charging stations and wider EV adoption.
