📖 4 min read
Petrol prices have now reached Rs. 321 per litre, making fuel costs highly expensive for mass motorcyclists.
This crisis started last week when the government announced a massive Rs. 55 hike , pushing fuel up from Rs. 266 to current levels overnight and bringing the running costs of motorcycles to an unprecedented high.
Will Petrol Prices Drop Once the Conflict Ends?
The US Defense Secretary recently stated that the current operations in Iran will take at least six weeks, which means the immediate conflict could potentially wrap up by April. If the war is temporary, isn’t the price hike temporary as well?
Not exactly. Even if the conflict ends in April, petrol prices are not coming down immediately. The energy and oil infrastructure in the Gulf has been damaged . Based on the current situation, it will take an estimated 4-5 months for the global supply chain to stabilize. And even when it does, it is highly unlikely that petrol will ever drop back to the previous Rs. 266 level.
This is why switching to an EV makes sense, not just out of panic over the current crisis, but because EVs are fundamentally cheaper to run than the lowest-running-cost motorcycle, the CD 70, in any economy.
For your reference, here’s the precise running cost of all major motorcycle categories:
Honda CD70: Fuel Economy: ~48 km/l Current Cost per KM: Rs. 6.70 Pre-Crisis Cost (Rs. 266/L): Rs. 5.50
Pre-Crisis Cost (Rs. 266/L): Rs. 5.50
Pre-Crisis Cost (Rs. 266/L): Rs. 5.50
125cc (Honda CB125F / Yamaha YBR / Honda CG125): Fuel Economy: ~35–40 km/l Current Cost per KM: Rs. 8.50 – Rs. 9.10 Pre-Crisis Cost (Rs. 266/L): Rs. 7.1
125cc (Honda CB125F / Yamaha YBR / Honda CG125):
Current Cost per KM: Rs. 8.50 – Rs. 9.10
Current Cost per KM: Rs. 8.50 – Rs. 9.10
Pre-Crisis Cost (Rs. 266/L): Rs. 7.1
150cc Category (Suzuki GS150 / GR150 / Honda CB150F / Infinity 150): Fuel Economy: ~25–30 km/l Current Cost per KM: Rs. 10.70 – Rs. 12.80 Pre-Crisis Cost (Rs. 266/L): Rs. 9.7
150cc Category (Suzuki GS150 / GR150 / Honda CB150F / Infinity 150):
Current Cost per KM: Rs. 10.70 – Rs. 12.80
Current Cost per KM: Rs. 10.70 – Rs. 12.80
Pre-Crisis Cost (Rs. 266/L): Rs. 9.7
EVs Are Always Cheap to Run in Any Economy
If you do the math, the per km running cost of an average electric scooter is Rs. 1.7 – 2.1. And that is a worst-case scenario calculation. Because electricity rates vary by city and usage tier, we calculated that figure using the highest possible per-unit electricity cost in Pakistan (Rs. 65).
Even at maximum electricity rates, an EV is cheaper to run today than a CD 70 was before the Iran-US conflict.
Best EV Bikes and Scooters To Buy Right Now
Switching to electric is the smartest financial move, provided you buy the right machine. To save you from market junk, we have compiled a list of the top electric bikes and scooters available right now that feature strong customer support, good market and resale value, and the lowest per-kilometer running costs.
To give you a realistic per-kilometer running cost for EVs, we used the following calculation:
We calculated the full charge (0-100%) using the highest possible electricity tariff of Rs. 65 per unit.
We factored in a 15% efficiency loss on the company’s claimed maximum driving range to account for real-world conditions.
Evee and Metro Scooters with Graphene Batteries
After researching the market, we found that Evee and Metro currently offer the best value for money offerings in Pakistan.
Both have a good presence in the EV scooter market, a good dealership network because of the fact that Evee and Metro were the first entrants to offer EV scooters in Pakistan, and reliable after-sales support.
Their scooter lineup is also accessible, ranging from Rs. 95,000 (for the entry-level Flipper) up to Rs. 275,000.
Both companies offer models with Lithium and Graphene (lead-acid with graphene coating) batteries. For mass affordability, we recommend Graphene models over Lithium ones. They are cheaper to buy initially and provide immediate relief from high petrol costs.
Here are all the available Graphene models of Evee:
Here are all the available Graphene models of Metro:
For those who prefer a traditional motorcycle over a scooter, electrified versions of the 70cc and 125cc do exist. United is one of the key brands offering this option.
These EV motorcycles use the exact same body and frame as their petrol counterparts. The engine is replaced by a battery pack, and an electric motor is integrated into the rear wheel.
Without gears, the clutch lever simply becomes the rear brake. The biggest advantage here is practicality: almost all cosmetic parts are interchangeable with standard local bikes.
Here are the current prices and per-kilometer running costs for United’s electric motorcycles (Graphene models don’t exist in these models):
Keep following PakWheels on Google News to stay up to date with the two-wheeler industry.
