Construction of country’s first electric vehicle plant starts

Construction work on Bangladesh’s first automobile manufacturing industry started in Chattogram’s Mirsarai upazila today with an initial investment of $200 million.

Paban Chowdhury, executive chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza), laid the foundation stone of the plant in Mirsarai economic zone.

Local automobile company Bangladesh Auto Industries Ltd (BAIL) will for the first time bring electric vehicles manufactured locally at the country’s market within July next year, BAIL Chairman A Mannan Khan said while addressing the inauguration programme.

The facilities, civil work and utility connection of the proposed plant on a 100-acre of land at the Mirsarai economic zone will be completed by December this year, Bail’s managing director Mir Masud Kabir said earlier.

BAIL will manufacture two-wheelers, three-wheelers, sedan, hatchback and sport utility vehicle (SUV) and has plans to produce pick-ups, mini-trucks and multipurpose vehicles.

The plant will manufacture almost 60 percent of the component of the vehicles, including lithium battery, motor, controller, software platform, chassis and body.

An electric vehicle (EV) uses chemical energy stored in efficient and environment-friendly rechargeable lithium ion battery packs instead of fossil fuel to propel it.

Internationally acclaimed designers have designed the initial Electric Vehicle for BAIL.