Photo credit, VCG via Getty Images
Fuel prices have skyrocketed in South Asia following the Israeli-Iranian war, making it more expensive for people to go to work, run personal errands and meet friends and family.
Faced with continued uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital shipping lanes for oil and gas, road users are looking for ways to protect themselves against rising transportation costs – and many have turned to Chinese-made electric vehicles.
Instead of private cars, cheap and maneuverable electric scooters have become the vehicle of choice for those hoping to save money amid the current fuel crisis.
As the world's largest manufacturer of electric scooters — and the batteries, electronics and motors that make them up — China has seen related exports to the region boom in recent months.
In August, Chinese exports of finished scooters to India, the region's largest economy, almost doubled from the previous year. Exports to Pakistan and Bangladesh increased by 291% and 553%, respectively, according to Chinese customs data.
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Cheaper to buy, cheaper to use
Global fuel prices soared with the start of the war in February. For Bangladesh, which imports around 95% of its oil and petroleum products, the shock was as sudden as it was dramatic.
“In March and April, people were queuing at gas stations for eight to 10 hours,” says Imran Zaman Khan, divisional manager at Rancon Motors, an automobile distributor headquartered in Dhaka.
Bangladesh, India and Pakistan suffer from some of the worst air pollution in the world, and their respective governments have long implemented policies to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles. However, it is the soaring fuel prices that have encouraged many Bangladeshi motorists to take the plunge.
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Before the fuel crisis, Bangladeshis saw the rise of electric vehicles as “a phenomenon that was happening in other countries,” says Khan, adding: “After March and April, electric vehicles became something that people felt they needed to consider in their daily lives. »
Chinese scooter makers were already well established in Bangladesh, while their competitors in India, the region's traditional automotive hub, had never really penetrated the market, Khan says.
“In reality, consumers had only two choices: buy a Chinese electric vehicle or not go electric at all. »
Not all scooters sold in Bangladesh are imported from China. Some companies assemble the vehicles locally, although all the essential parts are also Chinese, says Mostafa Al Mahmud, president of the Bangladesh Association for Sustainable and Renewable Energy.
For consumers who opt for this solution, the savings are considerable: the costs of using an electric scooter are only a tenth of those of a gasoline motorcycle, he explains.
In the West, the higher initial cost of an electric car has often been a barrier to faster adoption.
This is not the case with electric scooters, explains Al Mahmud. “The prices are completely comparable; many motorcycles even cost more to purchase than an electric scooter. »
“A feeling of freedom”
Photo credit, Faiza Ashraf
Not everyone who buys these Chinese electric scooters abandons gasoline; many are first-time drivers, attracted not only by their low price, but also by what Al Mahmud describes as the feeling of freedom and mobility they provide to new drivers, especially women.
“Before, women traveled much less,” he explains. “Thanks to the prices, sales of electric scooters among women have exploded, as they value their freedom and the ease of access to their own means of transport. »
This trend is also noticeable in Pakistan, where some women have started to circulate in the streets in large convoys, simply for fun.
Faiza Ashraf, a young designer, bought her electric scooter when she was a student.
“We had to take public transport or order a taxi online, and many women are harassed by the drivers. It was also very unpleasant in hot weather. »
Ashraf was a pioneer. She bought her first scooter before fuel prices rose, at a time when women on scooters were rare on city streets.
“At first, riding on public roads made me feel isolated… but by sharing my rides online, women contacted me, wanting to exchange, learn and ride together,” she explains.
The Israeli-US war against Iran and its economic consequences have significantly increased the number of female scooter riders in Faiza's network, which now organizes regular meet-ups in different cities across Pakistan.
However, this change was not well received by all. “In Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and the region in general, some people think that women should not ride motorbikes or travel alone. But with my scooter community, I started a sort of movement,” says Ashraf.
Chinese companies have made little effort to adapt their scooters for the local market, and their popularity among female riders has emerged more by chance than strategy, says Sarim Zia, a researcher at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Islamabad.
In Pakistan, conservative opinion views traditional gasoline-powered motorcycles as an indecent means of transportation for women because they should ride them, he explains. Electric scooters, where the driver sits upright, are less contested by conservatives.
Scooters are a hit with all kinds of users, not just women, Zia adds, pointing out that another reason for their popularity is the lack of need for charging infrastructure, a barrier to widespread adoption of electric cars in Britain.
“You don't need a special connector to charge your scooter at home. A simple 12-volt socket is enough,” he explains.
Hold back the tide
As in Bangladesh, some assembly of electric scooters takes place in Pakistan, although manufacturers rely on high-value components, such as batteries and electronic controllers, imported from China.
This type of local assembly brings little in the way of advanced technology or skills to the local economy. Pakistan aims to develop a domestic supply chain, but Zia believes its ability to reduce dependence on Chinese imports is limited.
“We have excellent relations with China, so we cannot disrupt things, we cannot completely block Chinese imports into Pakistan. We simply need to take a more diplomatic approach. »
India, with its economic weight, is more wary of Chinese imports, which it considers an economic and geopolitical rival. There, too, the electric scooter market is booming, but the government is working to develop its own electric vehicle industry to compete with China's.
One of the reasons is economic. To capture a greater share of the value addition of finished products, India is encouraging companies to manufacture the scooters and their essential components locally.
Indian scooter manufacturers have enjoyed considerable success in tailoring their products to local tastes and needs. Companies like Ola Electric and Ather Energy also hold a stake in their technology, having filed hundreds of Indian patents.
However, China is at the forefront of some of the most advanced battery technologies and wants to maintain this advantage.
In October 2025, China imposed strict controls on the export of the most advanced batteries, as well as the chemicals and machinery needed to make them.
That makes China's dominance difficult to break, and given strained relations with India, the mass arrival of its electric vehicle companies in South Asia also has a geopolitical dimension, says Aditya Shivamurthy, a research associate at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.
“What we see on a larger scale is that China has used its economy and trade to put pressure on South Asian countries from time to time,” he says.
“In the end, they are indeed using their economic influence to expand their political and geopolitical intrusion. »
For ordinary consumers, however, the everyday benefits of these scooters are considerable, even if they are made in China, Shivamurthy says.
“The fact is that people have started to feel the ill effects of fuel uncertainties…this is one area where Chinese scooters were easily preferred and more readily available than Indian electric vehicles, which are slowly starting to develop. »
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