Pakistan’s nascent lithium-ion battery manufacturing sector appears to be gathering momentum, with multiple projects now being announced in and around Karachi – although there is ambiguity over what is true “manufacturing” and what is merely pack assembly.
One of the latest companies to emerge is Zilo Energy, which this week claimed to have installed “Pakistan’s most advanced lithium-ion assembly line” at the Korangi Industrial Area in Karachi.
The company, operating as Zilo Lithium Batteries, said the facility would assemble lithium iron phosphate (LFP/LiFePO4) battery systems for residential, commercial and industrial energy storage applications, including solar-plus-storage systems. Product capacities listed by the company range from 2.5kWh to 16kWh.
However, it appears that the site is an assembly operation rather than a full upstream cell manufacturing plant. That distinction has become increasingly important in the country, where several media reports have described upcoming facilities as “battery manufacturing plants”.
A recent fact-check published by PakWheels noted that many planned facilities are expected to import lithium-ion cells and assemble them into battery packs locally, rather than producing electrochemical cells from raw materials.
Pakistan’s National Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing Policy
The Zilo announcement follows reports last month that Karachi-based EV Technologies is preparing to launch what has been described as Pakistan’s first lithium-ion battery production facility, also in Korangi. That plant is reportedly being developed under Pakistan’s proposed National Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing Policy 2026–31.
According to reports citing Pakistan’s Engineering Development Board (EDB), the EV Technologies facility is expected to begin operations within months and initially target electric two-wheelers, with a planned production capacity of 4MW – enough for around 2,000 electric bikes and scooters per month.
The proposed policy framework is intended to reduce reliance on imported battery systems by lowering tariffs on components used in lithium-ion battery assembly and manufacturing.
Pakistan’s growing interest in lithium-ion production is being driven by rapid solar adoption, rising electricity prices and expanding interest in electric mobility. Most lithium-ion batteries used in the country are currently imported, largely from China.
The country is also seeing broader investment in EV and battery infrastructure. Earlier this year, BYD partner Mega Motor Company secured financing support for what was described as Pakistan’s first large-scale new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing plant.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Special Technology Zones Authority is backing longer-term plans for renewable energy and battery manufacturing clusters in Sindh province, including lithium-ion batteries, EV kits and charging systems.
Photo: Dolmen Mall, Karachi by Muneeb Ul Hassan Khan on Unsplash
