Latest news with #Honri
Express Tribune
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- Express Tribune
Ride-hailing service for EV transition
Hanif highlighted that tax reduction and exemption on electric vehicles will promote a fuel efficient and greener economy. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article Pakistan's transportation sector is steadily shifting gears from traditional fuel-powered engines to electric vehicles (EVs), driven by a mix of local innovation, international partnerships, and a growing emphasis on sustainability. Leading this charge is global mobility platform inDrive, which has launched multiple initiatives to accelerate EV adoption, targeting cost savings for drivers, reducing carbon emissions, and aligning with the government's vision of 30% EV penetration by 2030. "The EV market in Pakistan is poised for growth," said Aman Alekseev, Impact Projects Manager at inDrive, in an interview with Express Tribune. "New local manufacturers are emerging, and Chinese companies are entering the market. We are building collaborations to make this transition inclusive and scalable," he added. One of its flagship projects involves partnering with local startups to offer drivers an affordable pathway to EVs. Through a retrofitting model, petrol motorcycles are converted into electric ones at a fraction of the cost of buying new ones. Equipped with swappable batteries, these bikes are supported by 21 swap stations in Islamabad alone. Over six months, 60 converted motorcycles have collectively travelled over 400,000 kilometres, saving drivers approximately Rs1.4 million in fuel and maintenance costs. On average, riders save 40% monthly compared to petrol bikes. To further ease the financial burden, the company with its partners are piloting a 'Buy Now, Pay Later' (BNPL) scheme, allowing drivers to purchase new electric bikes with minimal upfront costs, Alekseev said. The inDrive is also targeting four-wheeled EVs through other partnerships, which plans to deploy 50 electric cars each in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi for ride-hailing services. "Initiatives like these build trust and awareness," said Alekseev. "They show EVs aren't just a concept, they're a reality benefiting everyday people." The company is the first in Pakistan to integrate AI into ride-hailing operations, leveraging machine learning for smarter dispatching, fraud detection, and better customer experience," Country Head in Pakistan Muhammad Awais Saeed said while talking to a group of journalists. It is currently engaged in discussions with stakeholders to introduce electric vehicles and sustainable transport alternatives," he said adding that projects in development include bike swapping stations, retrofitting existing bikes, and potential collaboration with local automaker Honri on their EV model. He also drew attention towards a few bureaucratic speed bumps the company is grappling with in Pakistan.
Al Arabiya
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- Al Arabiya
Electric cars and motorbikes star at Indonesia's motor show despite country's slow uptake
The future of Indonesia's automobiles and motorbikes is electric – at least according to exhibitors at the Indonesia International Motor Show, which opened in the country's capital city of Jakarta on Thursday. That's despite the country's own slow uptake of electric vehicles and motorbikes, which only make up a small fraction of the vehicles in the world's fourth most populated country. Over 50 international and domestic brands were on display at the massive exhibition hall, with several brands staging Indonesian debuts for hybrid or electric vehicles. Chinese automaker BYD unveiled its Sealion 7 electric SUV, while Vietnamese automaker VinFast's electric-powered VF 3 mini SUV had its Indonesia debut. The event also welcomed a new automaker to Indonesia, with China's Honri bringing its five-passenger Boma EV. While the show floor was dominated by Asian companies, other international makers were present as well, including Germany's Volkswagen and BMW's Mini. Motorbikes – of which Indonesia has one of the largest fleets in the world, with over 132 million registered in 2023 – were also a mainstay of event, with foreign-made Royal Enfields and Vespas on display alongside Indonesia-made Alvas. A much smaller part of the show featured fossil fuel–powered jet skis and boats, which can be seen on the vast coastlines, rivers, and lakes of the country's over 17,000 islands. Outside the exhibition hall, drivers enjoyed new-car smell as they test drove cars across parking lots and over steep ramps. Eager leasing agents and sales representatives awaited drivers as they stepped out from behind the wheel. The show opened as the country faced a slowdown in its automotive industry last year: In 2024, sales fell by nearly 14 percent – from 1 million units in 2023 to 866,000 in 2024, according to the Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers Association. Indonesia's number of registered vehicles was reported at 24,646,825 units in 2023, according to the association. Indonesia's Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said the event is expected to be one of the main drivers in the recovery of the country's slowing automotive sector. 'In a declining market condition, all stakeholders, including the government, need to find strategic steps to increase public interest in shopping for motor vehicles,' he said during the event's opening. While sales of electric vehicles and motorbikes are rising, they're still just 7 percent of the country's fleet, according to consulting firm PwC. A lack of infrastructure, high upfront cost, and low performance hinder the adoption of EVs in Indonesia, according to a 2023 report by Indonesia-based nongovernmental organization Institute for Essential Services Reform. Some EV makers said they recognize these barriers and are working to tackle them. VinFast is partnering with V-Green, a spin-off from VinFast's charging station development division, to build 30,000 chargers across Indonesia, said VinFast Asia CEO Pham Sanh Chau. 'Without (chargers), we cannot sell the car,' he said. 'That's why we come in with the whole ecosystem.' VinFast and other electric vehicle makers such as BYD are also building EV manufacturing plants in Indonesia. South Korea's Hyundai and China's Wuling have both had EV plants in the country since 2022. The Indonesia government has sought partnerships with makers as it is eager to turn the country into an international hub for EVs, leveraging its abundant reserves of critical materials needed to make batteries. The small percentage of sales matches the slow progress of Indonesia's energy transition: Despite receiving billions of dollars in funding to retire coal and transition to greener energy, the country's renewable energy mix was just 14 percent in 2024, with a majority of energy coming from highly-polluting fossil fuels such as coal.
The Independent
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Electric cars and motorbikes star at Indonesia's motor show despite country's slow uptake
The future of Indonesia's automobiles and motorbikes is electric — at least according to exhibitors at the Indonesia International Motor Show, which opened in the country's capital city of Jakarta on Thursday. That's despite the country's own slow uptake of electric vehicles and motorbikes, which only make up a small fraction of the vehicles in the world's fourth most populated country. Over 50 international and domestic brands were on display at the massive exhibition hall, with several brands staging Indonesian debuts for hybrid or electric vehicles. Chinese automaker BYD unveiled its Sealion 7 electric SUV, while Vietnamese automaker VinFast's electric-powered VF 3 mini SUV had its Indonesia debut. The event also welcomed a new automaker to Indonesia, with China 's Honri bringing its five-passenger Boma EV. While the show floor was dominated by Asian companies, other international makers were present as well, including Germany's Volkswagen and BMW's Mini. Motorbikes — of which Indonesia has one of the largest fleets in the world, with over 132 million registered in 2023 — were also a mainstay of event, with foreign-made Royal Enfields and Vespas on display alongside Indonesia-made Alvas. A much smaller part of the show featured fossil fuel-powered jet skis and boats, which can be seen on the vast coastlines, rivers and lakes of the country's over 17,000 islands. Outside the exhibition hall, drivers enjoyed new-car smell as they test drove cars across parking lots and over steep ramps. Eager leasing agents and sales representatives awaited drivers as they stepped out from behind the wheel. The show opened as the country faced a slowdown in it's automative industry last year: In 2024 sales fell by nearly 14% — from 1 million units in 2023 to 866,000 in 2024 according to the Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers Association. Indonesia's number of registered vehicles was reported at 24,646,825 units in 2023, according to the association. Indonesia's Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, said the event is expected to be one of the main drivers in the recovery of the country's slowing automotive sector. 'In a declining market condition, all stakeholders, including the government, need to find strategic steps to increase public interest in shopping for motor vehicles,' he said during the event's opening. While sales of electric vehicles and motorbikes are rising, they're still just 7% of the country's fleet, according to consulting firm PwC. A lack of infrastructure, high upfront cost and low performance hinder the adoption of EVs in Indonesia, according to a 2023 report by Indonesia-based nongovernmental organization Institute for Essential Services Reform. Some EV makers said they recognize these barriers and are working to tackle them. VinFast is partnering with V-Green, a spin-off from VinFast's charging station development division, to build 30,000 chargers across Indonesia, said VinFast Asia CEO Pham Sanh Chau. 'Without (chargers), we cannot sell the car," he said. 'That's why we come in with the whole ecosystem." VinFast and other electric vehicle makers such as BYD are also building EV manufacturing plants in Indonesia. South Korea's Hyundai and China's Wuling have both had EV plants in the country since 2022. The Indonesia government has sought partnerships with makers as it is eager to turn the country into an international hub for EVs, leveraging its abundant reserves of critical materials needed to make batteries. The small percentage of sales matches the slow progress of Indonesia's energy transition: Despite receiving billions of dollars in funding to retire coal and transition to greener energy, the country's renewable energy mix was just 14% in 2024, with a majority of energy coming from highly-polluting fossil fuels such as coal. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
