Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the auto and auto parts policy, with special emphasis on accelerating Pakistan&rsquo;s transition toward electric vehicles, said a statement on Monday. According to the statement, the meeting was briefed on a range of measures to promote EV adoption across the country, strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities, and facilitate industry growth through supportive government policies.&nbsp; The statement added that participants were informed that the proposed measures would help create new employment opportunities, enhance exports, and contribute significantly to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to mitigate climate change.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2063909605252706629&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e1355c80472608bd6cd3aed0bbafbf3c816d8636&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Addressing the meeting, Dar underscored the importance of developing a competitive, innovative, and sustainable automotive ecosystem.&nbsp; He said a future-ready automotive sector would support economic growth, strengthen industrial capacity, generate skilled employment, and advance environmental sustainability. To ensure a comprehensive and consultative policy framework, the statement said the deputy prime minister directed the formation of a subcommittee to conduct a detailed review, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, and to finalize the draft policy. Ministers, senior government officials, policy experts, and economists attended the meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Monday to review the Auto and Auto Parts Policy, with a particular focus on accelerating Pakistan’s transition towards Electric Vehicles (@DPM_PK)

Economy

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting reviewing the Auto and Auto Parts Policy, focusing on EV adoption, local manufacturing, job creation, exports, and environmental sustainability.

Pakistan accelerates EV transition with review of auto and auto parts policy

TOKYO: Honda announced Thursday its first operational loss since 1957 after a major overhaul of its electric vehicle strategy in the United States. Japan&#39;s number two automaker after Toyota said that its operating loss last year of 414.3 billion yen ($2.6 billion) came after huge accounting charges in its EV operations. Honda also reported a net loss of 423.9 billion yen, which according to Bloomberg News was the first since it began disclosing consolidated results in 1977. Honda announced in March that it was cancelling the launch and development of certain EV models in the United States, resulting in impairment and other charges of 2.5 trillion yen ($16 billion). Honda blamed a &quot;government policy shift&quot; by US President Donald Trump&#39;s administration, including import tariffs and the scrapping of tax incentives for EV buyers. It also said that there was a &quot;decline in competitiveness&quot; of Honda products in China and other Asian countries. Other Japanese automakers are also suffering, squeezed by US tariffs, the Middle East war and fierce competition from Chinese rivals. Toyota, the world&#39;s largest carmaker by unit sales, forecast last week a 22% drop in net income this fiscal year, albeit from $25 billion last. Nissan which is closing factories and cutting thousands of jobs on Wednesday reported a net loss of $3.4 billion for last year, but forecast a return to profit. &quot;The major difference with Nissan is that while Nissan&#39;s product strength and brand power are significantly weak and recovery is not foreseeable, Honda&#39;s loss is a one-time, massive loss due to a change in strategy,&quot; said Tatsuo Yoshida, analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. &quot;Its ICE (internal combustion engine) and HEV (hybrid electric) products are strong, and its brand power is high. Profitability in motorcycles and finance is good,&quot; Yoshida said before the announcement of Honda&#39;s earnings. Japan agreed to invest $550 billion in the United States by 2029 in return for slashing threatened tariffs of 25% to 15%. The promises remain valid even after the US Supreme Court struck down US President Donald Trump&#39;s global tariffs in February and he imposed a new blanket 10% duty.

Business

Honda posted its first operating loss since 1957 after a major $16 billion write-down tied to its US EV strategy overhaul, citing policy changes under President Donald Trump and intensifying competition in China.

Honda posts operating loss, first since 1957

OSLO: More than half of drivers in Norway say their next car will be electric as a response to soaring fuel prices, the country&#39;s auto association said Wednesday.&nbsp;Norway is the largest oil producer in Europe, after Russia, but the Scandinavian country is already a champion of electric vehicles (EVs), which account for over 95 percent of new registrations.&nbsp;But the surge in fuel prices since war erupted in the Middle East in late February is convincing even more motorists to make the switch.&nbsp;In April, 51 percent of drivers surveyed said their next car would be electric, according to a study by the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF)&nbsp;In the same month last year, the figure was just 46 percent, and NAF described the increase as &quot;the biggest jump in several years&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s quite clear that high fuel prices and uncertainty about energy supplies are affecting people&#39;s choice of car,&quot; NAF spokesman Nils Sodal said in a statement.&nbsp;Following the US and Israeli attacks against Iran and the subsequent standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway for around a fifth of the world&#39;s oil and gas, soaring oil and gas prices have affected economies around the world.&nbsp;In March, Norway decided to temporarily reduce taxes on petrol and diesel, which nevertheless remain comparatively more expensive for motorists than charging electric vehicles at home, as household electricity is subsidised.

Europe

Rising fuel prices driven by Middle East conflict are boosting electric vehicle demand in Norway, where 51 percent of drivers plan EVs for their next car, up from 46 percent last year, according to NAF.

EV interest surges in Norway as fuel prices bite

BEIJING: Thousands snapped selfies beside sleek Chinese electric vehicles on Friday at the world&#39;s biggest car show in Beijing, where automakers are seeking to lure buyers in a cut-throat market. Rows of influencers posed in front of gleaming models at the cavernous international exhibition center in the capital, darting to suitcases stuffed with outfit changes, while animated CEOs worked the crowds in front of massive LED screens. Legacy overseas brands such as Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW once dominated in China, but have lost market share in past years to domestic firms that beat them to the electric vehicle revolution and undercut them on price. Chinese manufacturers including BYD, Xiaomi and Xpeng are now also at the forefront of integrating AI software and autonomous driving technology into their EVs. The Auto China exhibition, hosted at two side-by-side venues, spans 380,000 square meters, according to organizers &ndash; more than 50 football pitches. More than 1,400 vehicles from hundreds of Chinese and foreign companies are on display from Friday, when the show opened to industry professionals and the media, and later to the public from April 28 until May 3. At the sprawling expo, crowds cheered as XPeng chief executive He Xiaopeng took the stage beside the Chinese company&#39;s latest model, the GX, a six-seat electric SUV. The imposing 5.2-metre vehicle incorporates AI technology and is aiming at breaking into the luxury market, he said. It would soon be followed by humanoid robots this year, He promised, and eventually by flying cars, which XPeng hopes to mass-produce. Foreign automakers are increasingly collaborating with Chinese firms to keep pace with technological advances. BMW has partnered with Chinese battery maker CATL, while Audi is using Huawei&#39;s driving assistance systems and Volkswagen is developing EVs together with Guangzhou-based Xpeng. XPeng President Brian Gu told reporters that companies were &quot;leveraging their respective strength to collaborate with China&quot;, a trend he said would continue both domestically and overseas. Gu has his eyes set on export markets including Europe and the Gulf. Asked by AFP how Trump&#39;s tariffs were affecting Xpeng, he said only that the US market remained an important one. Fierce competition This year, companies are also jostling to sell space, analysts say, with roomy SUVs&#39; new growth area targeting customers prioritizing seating and comfort. China &quot;has become a customer retention and replacement/upgrade-driven market, and these big SUVs address that need,&quot; independent analyst Lei Xing wrote in a blog this week. Firms have flooded the domestic market in recent years with trade-in schemes, offering huge discounts to customers to give up their old car for a new one. The fierce price war led Chinese officials last year to call for tighter price monitoring and improving long-term regulation of competition. But newcomers appear unfazed, Lei wrote, naming at least eight EV brands from Chinese automakers that have cropped up over the last two years. Electric vehicles, an area China dominates, are also gaining traction as rising global oil prices linked to the Middle East war push drivers away from fossil fuel-powered models. Manufacturers are now competing on driving range. Xiaomi chief executive Lei Jun recently completed a 1,300-kilometre trip from Beijing to Shanghai in the SU7 Pro electric sedan, stopping only once to recharge during the 15-hour drive.

BYD-owned premium brand Denza Z model car is displayed at the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing on April 24, 2026. (AFP)

Artificial Intelligence

At Beijing’s massive auto show, Chinese EV makers showcase advanced AI vehicles, intensifying competition with global brands, while price wars, innovation, and export ambitions reshape the world’s largest car market.

Chinese EV makers take center stage at world's biggest auto show

PARIS: Sales of new cars jumped last month in the European Union as consumers turned to electric vehicles amid soaring petrol prices driven by the war in the Middle East, data showed Thursday. Overall sales rose 12.5% in March from the same month last year to 1.16 million vehicles, according to registration data from the European Automobile Manufacturers&#39; Association (ACEA). That jump helped the market achieve a 4% rise in the first quarter, following declines in January and February. Sales of fully electric vehicles soared by 49%, with plug-in hybrids also jumping 20%. Over the first quarter, hybrids were the top choice of European consumers, accounting for 37% of overall sales. Plug-in hybrids accounted for another 10% of market share. The market share of simple petrol motor vehicles slumped to 23% in the quarter, down from 28% a year earlier. Fully electric vehicles accounted for just over 19% of overall sales. The ACEA noted that electric vehicle sales performance varied widely by country, with Italy, France and Germany posting strong gains. Petrol prices spiked throughout Europe after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, resulting in a near block on oil exports from the Gulf and leading Iran to retaliate by attacking energy facilities throughout the region. Meanwhile, sales in Belgium and the Netherlands fell. The Volkswagen Group maintained its top spot in the EU market in the first quarter, with its market share dipping to 26.4% despite sales edging higher. That was primarily due to Stellantis, whose Fiat, Citroen and Opel brands saw sales surge, boosting the group&#39;s market share. Another major European car manufacturer, Renault, saw sales slide in the first quarter due to transportation problems affecting its low-cost Dacia brand. Sales of Teslas jumped nearly 60% from the first quarter of last year, when Elon Musk&#39;s involvement in the Trump administration turned off European consumers.

Electric car charging (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Sales of fully electric vehicles soar by 49%, with plug-in hybrids also jumping 20%.

Articles tagged with "Electric vehicles"

Pakistan accelerates EV transition with review of auto and auto parts policy

Honda posts operating loss, first since 1957

EV interest surges in Norway as fuel prices bite

Chinese EV makers take center stage at world's biggest auto show

Electric vehicles supercharge EU car sales

Pakistan accelerates EV transition with review of auto and auto parts policy