UAE EV maker NWTN makes its foray into Pakistan

NWTN expands to Pakistan: UAE-based EV manufacturer and smart mobility firm NWTN is expanding into Pakistan through an agreement with Pakistan’s JW Corporation allowing it exclusive access to use its complete knock-down (CKD) automotive assembly plant in Lahore’s China-Pakistan Special Economic Zone, according to a press release. The agreement will see NWTN issue new shares in return, handing JW Corporation an undisclosed stake.

Manufacturing in an export hub: NWTN will utilize the 564k sq ft CKD facility to produce multifunctional EVs for the global market, leveraging JW’s distribution channels in Pakistan, which will serve as an export hub linking South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The agreement gives it access to a nationwide sales network of more than 400 outlets.

Pakistan’s EV market is still in its infancy, with under 15k EVs on the road — the bulk of them two- and three-wheelers, Arab News reports. The government’s EV policy aims to get 100k electric cars and 500k two- and three-wheelers on the streets within five years, but uptake has been hampered by high prices, a lack of charging infrastructure, and limited consumer awareness.

NWTN has a footprint in the Middle East too: NWTN inked a partnership agreement last year with Jordanian Manaseer Group to assemble and distribute their vehicles in Jordan and the MENA region, partnering to establish an EV factory in Jordan with a total investment of USD 80 mn.