LAHORE: Though this step may not result in a noticeable improvement in the smog-infested air of Lahore overnight, an electric bus with zero smoke emission has begun running on Lahore roads as a test project. Every day, the bus makes two trips from the Punjab Transport Company’s (PTC) main station to Valencia Town.

Malik Zaheer Abbas says he has the distinction of becoming the first instructor to assist in the operation of an electric bus in Lahore.

“The bus trial run has been ongoing in Lahore for almost a month, and it’s going great,” he told Dawn on Wednesday.

“It’s excellent because it’s both environmentally friendly and safe for drivers and passengers. I’ve driven both manual and hybrid buses in my occupational career. It feels good when a driver can sleep at night without thinking about maintenance issues. Only e-buses provide this convenience.”

The Sindh government also followed the Punjab government as it has also introduced an electric fleet of buses as test run.

Sindh Information and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon tweeted that his ministry was going to start new bus service in Karachi. “These are Pakistan’s first electrical vehicles which are completely environment friendly. From Nov 7, we are going to start the test drive in the city.”

According to PTC acting CEO Abdul Qayyum, the Sapphire group in Pakistan has piloted the initiative in Lahore in collaboration with BYD China, the world’s largest producer of electric vehicles. Previously, the same bus did experimental trips in Islamabad. This will assist Pakistan in developing its market and manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs).

Mr Qayyum stated that the data collected during the pilot run was being extensively analysed by the PTC as well as a private consultant because the PTC planned to launch e-buses in Lahore as per the consultant’s report. We should keep in mind electric-powered vehicles would rule the roads by 2030.

He says that e-buses are not only fuel-efficient but also have cheaper maintenance costs, implying that they reduce official checks and hierarchy.

“However, environmental issues continue to be the most significant for us,” he said.

“As the smog season approaches, the PTC is heavily involved in vehicle inspections with city district government and environment department authorities around the province. We’ve dispatched crews to inspect smoke-emitting public transportation.”

PTC Deputy General Manager Muhammad Usman Malik explains why electric buses are environment conscious.

“Because they are battery-powered and have no engine, EVs emit zero emissions,” he explains.

“Emissions are caused by fuels such as diesel and petrol, whereas EVs have lower carbon footprints. The sole disadvantage of an electric vehicle is its high capital cost.”

Mr Qayyum, on the other hand, says that the scope of the ongoing feasibility study includes both capital and maintenance costs for the future PTC fleets. He believes that electric buses are less expensive because they require no or little maintenance.

“With electric vehicles, we will not only save fuel and maintenance costs, but we will also save lives by providing a cleaner atmosphere,” he argues.

Malik Zaheer connects the bus to a power charging station in Valencia in the evening before signing off from the office. In two hours, the bus is fully charged. He says that the bus can travel 450 kilometres on a charged battery.

Before the journey begins, he informs the passengers that they are on the first-ever electric bus in Lahore. Then he tells them that carbon-emitting vehicles are a major source of pollution and poor air quality. This way, each journey becomes a step towards a better environment.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2022