Pakistan’s oil industry has urged the government to review the requirement that petrol stations install electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, arguing that the policy is commercially unviable under current market conditions. The Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) said the mandatory linkage between issuing permits for fuel stations and the installation of EV chargers should be reconsidered.
In a letter to Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, the council highlighted operational and financial challenges faced by oil marketing companies implementing the government’s New Energy Vehicles policy. Industry representatives said the sector supports the long-term shift toward cleaner transport but was not adequately consulted during the policy’s formulation.
OCAC noted that installing a single high-capacity Level-3 charging unit costs between Rs15 million and Rs20 million, excluding additional infrastructure such as transformers and cabling. With only around 3,000 electric vehicles currently operating in Pakistan, most charging stations remain underutilised and many are operating at a loss.
The council also pointed out that only about 15 EV charging stations have so far been set up by oil marketing companies nationwide, with only a few reaching operational breakeven. It called for a phased and demand-driven approach to expanding EV charging infrastructure in consultation with energy regulators and relevant ministries.