PRIYAM PAUL

Palki Motors, Bangladesh’s first domestic electric vehicle manufacturer, is revolutionising the automotive industry with affordable, eco-friendly solutions designed to transform urban transportation and meet local needs.

Officially launched in October 2022, it offers ride-sharing services with air-conditioned four-wheelers, similar to Uber and Pathao, focusing on urban areas and routes connecting district headquarters to thanas. So far, the company has delivered 24 cars to drivers, who collectively cover around 4,500 km per month. In total, Palki Motors’ vehicles have traveled 1.9 million km, reducing carbon emissions by 300 metric tons.

Palki Motors received the prestigious 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize along with a $1 million award. Their cars are certified by both BUET and DUET. In its previous Version 2 model, drivers earned around 2,200 taka per day while covering 4,500 km. With the newly developed Version 3, the company aims to increase drivers’ income to 4,000 taka per day. In November, Palki also introduced an electric pickup truck.

Palki’s electric vehicles are a cost-effective alternative to fuel-powered cars, which cost 12 taka per kilometre, whereas Palki’s run at just 0.58 paisa per kilometre. Additionally, each vehicle cuts carbon emissions by 10 tons annually.

Power plants convert 35-60% of fuel into usable electricity, but some energy (5-10%) is lost during transmission and charging. In comparison, gasoline cars are much less efficient, using only 20-40% of fuel for movement while wasting up to 80% as heat and friction. Even if Palki’s electric vehicles are charged with fossil fuel-based electricity, they still produce 60-70% fewer carbon emissions than gasoline cars. Their environmental benefits increase even further when powered by renewable energy.