Electric motorcycles in Pakistan

[raylo32]

Article in the NYT (subscription required) about how high fuel prices are driving an absolutely crazy e-motorcycle revolution in Pakistan and other populous countries. Lots of innovation, low prices, and working with China. They apparently have over 80 manufacturers already that have popped up in the last few years, many in the time since the Iran war drove up fuel prices, with more on the way. These are made to compete with and replace the old Honda CD70s that are pretty much the national vehicle. Pretty wild stuff but a totally different world to the US with our gargantuan SUVs and 100-200 HP motorcycles when you need to save fuel $ as compared to running a 70cc motorcycle.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/11/climate/electric-motorcycles-pakistan.html

 

[neptronix]

Interesting to see. In Pakistan of all places!

I have a few programmers in Indonesia and they tell me gas prices are apocalyptic over there due to the recent wars.
Lately i'm seeing more new members from Southeast Asia / East Asia ( India & it's neighbors )
Motorcycles are basically cars out there so they are starting their electric revolution on easy mode compared to the west.

 

[raylo32]

Yeah, little bikes are the main transport in many places, still. And gas must be crazy $$ there if you have trouble fueling a little bike that gets probably close to 80MPG, or even more. One thing the article didn't address is what fuels their electric generating plants and whether those rates are controlled or capped. Those rates have got to be very low for e-motos to make any sense, especially if you first have to go out and buy one.

 

[neptronix]

The ebike is such a good solution to such constraints
I don't know anything about the law over there though. hopefully they get to enjoy the long grey area period we did.

 

[raylo32]

I believe these are classified as motos not e-bikes. No pedals and such, just throttles, and higher speeds similar to the 70cc gassers they aim to replace, so these might fall under the same regs, whatever they are. Here they'd have to be licensed and insured.

The ebike is such a good solution to such constraints
I don't know anything about the law over there though. hopefully they get to enjoy the long grey area period we did.

 

[raylo32]

And as I watched the men's and women's Tour de France the last few weeks they frequently passed gas stations with prices of ~ 2.00 Euro per liter posted. Oof. We are seriously spoiled here. Or just lucky, or maybe just oblivious to the realities in the rest of the world.

 

[fechter]

Remember Naeem?
He was way ahead of his time:

A Very Very Low Cost Electric Bike from Pakistan

 

[raylo32]

Looks like he was before my time here. I wonder how this all turned out and what he is up to now?

Remember Naeem?
He was way ahead of his time:

A Very Very Low Cost Electric Bike from Pakistan