For the first time in Bangladesh, locally manufactured electric vehicles are set to hit the market commercially this coming July. Unlocking new potential in the country’s industrial sector, Bangladesh Auto Industries Limited is gearing up to introduce a range of electric cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles.

Ahead of the formal launch, the locally made electric vehicles were showcased at an exhibition organized at the office of Chief Adviser Tarique Rahman in the capital’s Tejgaon on Friday. There, he personally test-drove an electric car and assured government support for the sector.

Various types of vehicles manufactured by the company were displayed at the exhibition. These included sports utility vehicles (SUVs), motorcycles, trucks, covered vans, and auto-rickshaws.

Later, the Chief Adviser held a meeting with A Mannan Hossain Khan, Chairman of Bangladesh Auto Industries Limited, and Mir Masud Kabir, its Managing Director. The meeting focused on the country’s electric vehicle industry and its future prospects.

Following the meeting, A Mannan Hossain Khan stated that although the vehicles are manufactured using local technology, some raw materials have to be imported from abroad. He noted that if tariff privileges are granted on the raw materials used in electric vehicle manufacturing, production costs could be further reduced.

Managing Director Mir Masud Kabir mentioned that the vehicles have been manufactured while maintaining international standards. By complying with European standards, export opportunities to foreign markets may also emerge in the future.

According to the company, their electric sports utility vehicles can travel over 450 kilometers on a single full charge. It takes five to six hours to fully charge the battery using a standard charging system. With a fast-charging system, the charge can be completed in just about 30 minutes.

On the other hand, the electric trucks and covered vans can travel approximately 200 kilometers on a single charge. The batteries of these vehicles take about six hours to fully charge on standard systems and about 40 minutes using fast-charging systems.

The company states that these vehicles are entirely battery-operated and environmentally friendly. They do not require any fossil fuels, and their operating costs are significantly lower compared to conventional vehicles.

Company officials noted that efforts have been made to keep the prices of the vehicles affordable, taking the purchasing power of the general public into consideration, in order to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

Praising the initiative, the Chief Adviser said that if the company can contribute to industrial development while ensuring quality and safety, the government will provide necessary support to this sector.

The company has invested approximately Tk 1,500 crore to set up an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in the Mirsharai Economic Zone of Chattogram.

The company claims to be the country’s first automaker capable of locally manufacturing electric vehicle platforms and chassis.

Mir Masud Kabir stated that they are operating with the utmost priority on customer service and reliability. Alongside providing quality products at affordable prices, preparations are also underway to play a major role in developing the country’s electric vehicle infrastructure.

The company announced that all their vehicles will come with a five-year warranty and after-sales service. Additionally, motorcycles and three-wheelers have been equipped with removable batteries, allowing users to charge them with ease.