On Independence Day, Pakistan’s first electric vehicle prototype, known as the NUR-E 75, was displayed. The battery in the car will have a 35kWh capacity. The car can go 210 kilometers after being fully charged.
The car will save a significant amount of fuel, contribute to the fight against climate change, and maintain economic prosperity, claims Dr. Khurshid Qureshi, founder and chairperson of the Distinguished Innovation, Collaboration & Entrepreneurship (DICE) Foundation, which created and developed the prototype.
A non-profit organization with a US representation called DICE Foundation is run by Pakistanis living abroad in the US, the EU, and other countries, with assistance from local companies and academic institutions.
Dr. Qureshi, a recognized authority on creating autonomous vehicles, claimed that the production of the car has three stages:
- The first involved industrial design, production, and launch
- The second involved expanding production to include sedan and SUV, small commercial trucks, and EV platform export
- The third involved exporting the cars.
The completely working prototype, EV NUR-E 75, is ready for testing and regulatory approval, he said, adding that manufacturing started in 2019. Meanwhile, design work on a rolling platform that will be utilized for multiple vehicle segments is in progress.
As he described the five-seater hatchback’s many features, he noted that it had a maximum power of 80 kW (108 horsepower), a battery capacity of 35 kWh, and a range of 210 km with the air conditioner off.
According to him, the totally electric vehicle has a top speed of 120 km/h, 16-inch tyres, a 190mm ground clearance, and a 220V charging capacity that takes eight hours, with quick charging also an option.
He emphasized that the vehicle, given to Pakistan as a gift for its diamond jubilee, would play a significant role in the context of the environment and climate change and help us transition away from the use of non-renewable fuels.
“Once it hits the market in the fourth quarter of 2024, this innovation will be a game changer both for Pakistan’s economy and for the well-being of the country’s average population, and I can’t stress that enough,”
For the past 15 years, the DICE Foundation has worked in Pakistan to support innovation, develop competence, and turn brain drain into brain gain. The organization, which was founded in 2007, focuses on the automotive, health, agricultural, energy, creative arts, and textile industries.
DICE is a strategic effort of the DICE Foundation, USA, with the goal of promoting an entrepreneurial and innovative culture throughout the nation. It is an umbrella program that now contains a number of significant platforms.
The main objective of each of these platforms is to jumpstart the cycle of innovation in the country necessary for its sustainable development, progress and economic prosperity.
