The Sindh government has unveiled an ambitious plan to integrate 8,000 electric buses into Karachi’s mass transit system, aiming to revolutionize the city’s public transportation infrastructure.
In the first phase, the government plans to deploy 500 electric buses within the first year, enhancing the current fleet that already includes 50 buses servicing major routes across Karachi.
The second phase will add 1,500 electric buses to the network.
The comprehensive plan culminates in the third phase, where 4,000 to 6,000 electric buses will join the system over the next four years. This phase will also focus on establishing the necessary support infrastructure, such as charging stations, depots, and new bus stations, to accommodate the expanded fleet.
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A critical aspect of this initiative is developing a solar plant that can produce up to 1GW of energy. This project is slated for completion by the end of Phase 3. The plant will power the new electric buses, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the city’s public transport system.
The National Energy & Transport Corporation (NETC) will provide these buses through a rent-to-own scheme based on a cost-per-kilometre payment plan.
To support this transformative project, the Sindh government has committed substantial financial resources, allocating Rs412.50 million for the last quarter of the fiscal year 2025 and promising Rs1.65 billion annually for eight years to manage the monthly bus payments.
