The all-electric commercial transport market witnessed a new entrant yesterday as Sitara Group, in partnership with GUGU Motors, revealed two Electric Vans (EVs) for the Pakistani market. One of the vehicles is a Sokon Ruichi Tourer 250 passenger van, while the other one is the Ruichi Maximus 250 cargo van.
Both vans are powered by a single electric motor and a 42 kWh battery pack producing 80 horsepower and 200 Newton-meters of torque which is sufficient for a commercial van. The Tourer 250 can seat twelve people including the driver, while the Maximus 250 has a cargo space of up to 180 cubic feet and can haul over 1000 kilograms of cargo.
Both EVs are nicely equipped, featuring facilities such as fast and slow charging capability, dual-zone air-conditioning, regenerative braking, parking sensors, a smart system, and a 7 kW onboard AC charger. The Tourer 250 has a claimed maximum range of 300 kilometers while the Maximus 250 has a maximum range of 250 kilometers when fully loaded.
GUGU Motors is a subsidiary of Tesla Industries. Not to be confused with Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc.— Tesla Industries is a Pakistan-based electronics company that offers renewable energy-based solutions to public and private sector customers.
CEO of Sitara Group — the parent company of Tesla Industries and GUGU Motors — stated that the company is currently importing the EVs from China to kick-off local operations, but will likely begin local assembly of the EVs next year. He added that Tesla Industries currently has the largest EV charging infrastructure that can support the new EVs across Pakistan.
The details are not yet known about the prices and launch date of the EVs. However, market speculations suggest that the launch is likely to occur in a few weeks at a starting price of about Rs. 5.3 million.
Due to the concerns about the EV maintenance and charging infrastructure, the Ruichi EVs are not likely to become a common sight on Pakistani roads anytime soon. However, these EVs have great potential for popularity, and their normalization could result in a major positive change in the environment.