Pakistan and China Team Up for Sodium-Ion EV Batteries

Pakistan is making a bold move towards a greener future, signaling its strong interest in collaborating with China to develop cutting-edge sodium-ion battery technology for electric vehicles (EVs). This partnership is being hailed as a strategic priority in the evolving landscape of bilateral cooperation.

The focus on sodium-ion batteries highlights a significant shift. While lithium-ion batteries currently dominate the EV market, sodium-ion technology offers a promising alternative, potentially reducing reliance on scarce resources and lowering production costs. Pakistan sees this as a crucial area for innovation and growth.

At a recent press conference in Beijing, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, emphasized the country’s eagerness to work with Chinese firms to advance EV technology. He praised China’s global leadership in battery innovation, stating, “EVs have become a very important segment. Pakistan is keen to benefit from China’s advances in this field.”

Forging Stronger Ties

A key event set to accelerate this collaboration is the Pakistan-China Business Conference, scheduled for September 4 in China. This major forum will bring together over 250 Pakistani companies and more than 200 Chinese firms, aiming to foster direct connections and explore joint ventures.

Minister Iqbal noted that the conference would facilitate “industry matchmaking” across various high-growth sectors, including electric vehicles, solar energy, chemicals, and agriculture, underscoring the broad scope of the planned cooperation.

A Win-Win Partnership

For Chinese firms, investing in EV manufacturing in Pakistan presents compelling advantages, including cost-effective local production and access to a rapidly expanding market. Conversely, this partnership is vital for Pakistan’s national goals of boosting energy efficiency, creating jobs, and driving sustainable economic growth.

Pakistan’s National Electric Vehicle Policy 2025–2030 sets ambitious targets: converting 30% of all new vehicle sales to electric by 2030, with a long-term vision of achieving net-zero transport emissions by 2060. The policy supports these goals with attractive tax incentives, subsidies, and infrastructure development, making the country an appealing destination for foreign investment and local manufacturing alike.

This isn’t a completely new venture. Several prominent Chinese companies, such as BYD and Chery, are already active in Pakistan’s EV sector, involved in vehicle assembly, charging infrastructure development, and exploring further joint ventures. The proposed sodium-ion battery collaboration marks the next ambitious step in this deepening partnership, promising to reshape the future of electric mobility in the region.