PRITI Research & Consultancy Limited · February 2024

Business Feasibility Study

Electric Vehicle Industry in Bangladesh — A comprehensive analysis of market potential, policies, infrastructure, and financial viability

Eco Bengal

Introduction & Background

Transport is one of the vital aspects for the business world. The commercial vehicle market refers to vehicles used to transport goods and passengers or provide a service. Road transport is the most popular form of commercial transport in Bangladesh, carrying about 70% of passengers and cargo.

The global commercial vehicle market is projected to grow from $955.57 BN in 2022 to $1,712.44 BN by 2029, at a CAGR of 8.7%. The Asia Pacific market is set to experience the highest growth rate globally due to growth of mega-economics China & India.

Bangladesh is the 39th largest economy in nominal terms and 30th largest by purchasing power parity. The economy has grown at nearly 6% per year in the past decade. More than 15,000,000 Bangladeshis have moved out of poverty since 1992, creating a rising middle class with increasing purchasing power.

Bangladesh Economy Rank (PPP)30th Global
Annual GDP Growth Rate~6%
Road Transport Share70%
Global Commercial Vehicle CAGR8.7%
Population165 Million
Total Paved Roads21,000+ km
Eco Bengal

Global Electric Vehicle Market

The global EV market is growing exponentially. 6.60 million units sold in 2021 alone.

Global EV Sales by Region (Million Units)

Bangladesh Hybrid Car Import Growth

154%Growth from FY18 to FY21
6.6M
EVs Sold Globally (2021)
16.5M
EVs on Roads Globally
7.8M
EVs in China (2021)
77.63%
Less Emissions vs Petrol
Eco Bengal

Electric Vehicles in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has moved one step forward with plans to introduce at least 30% plug-in EVs by 2030

EV Types Available

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)

Fully electric, zero direct emissions. Examples: Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen ID.4, Kia EV6.

Plug-in Hybrid (PHEVs)

Both electric and combustion engine. Can operate in all-electric or hybrid mode.

Hybrid Electric (HEVs)

Cannot be charged externally. Batteries charged via regenerative braking. Toyota Aqua, Honda Grace.

Bangladesh EV Market Status

⚠️ Current Challenge

Bangladesh had only 14 EV charging stations in December 2020. The all-electric vehicle market is almost nonexistent, though nearly 4 million Easy Bikes (electric three-wheelers) run on streets.

Massive Opportunity

The almost vacant market means first movers like Eco Bengal have massive opportunity to capture market share as government policies and consumer demand rapidly converge.

4M+
Easy Bikes in BD
30%
Govt. EV Target 2030
14
Charging Stations (2020)
21.85%
BD Carbon Reduction Target
Eco Bengal

EV Policies in Bangladesh

Strong government support creating favorable conditions for EV industry growth

10-Year Tax Holiday

For local EV assembling and manufacturing with 30% locally sourced components

Import Duty Reduction

Reduced VAT and Import Duty on electric vehicle components

EV Registration Waiver

Road tax waiver and reduced registration fees for EVs

30% EV by 2030

Government target to have 30% newly registered vehicles as EVs by 2030

Barriers & Challenges

Absence of a clear policy-institutional framework
Limited EV regulation and registration guidelines
Very few EV charging facilities in the country
Existing fossil fuel-based charging infrastructure
Shortage of Technical Manpower on EV
Lack of consumer awareness on EV benefits
Eco Bengal

Financial Analysis & Budget

Detailed breakdown of the EV Car Assembly Center project costs

Budget Distribution (BDT Million)

Cost Breakdown

Equipment & Machinery
630M
$5.73M
Land & Development
250M
$2.27M
Civil Work (Shed)
150M
$1.36M
Security & Compliance
97.5M
$0.89M
Business Operation
79.72M
$0.72M
Legal & Misc
30M
$0.27M
Grand Total
৳1,237.22M
$11.25M

Foreign Investment Benefits in Bangladesh

100% foreign ownership with unrestricted exit policy
Full profit repatriation and reinvestment as FDI
Tax holidays for several years
Duty-free import of capital machinery
Permanent residency for $75,000 investment
Citizenship for $500,000 investment
Multiple visas & work permits for executives
90% bank loans against Letters of Credit
Ownership Structure: Eco Bengal Co. seeks foreign investors under a 51:49 ownership structure — local 51% / foreign 49%.
Eco Bengal

Bangladesh EV Charging Guidelines

Government framework for establishing EV charging infrastructure across Bangladesh

🚀

Phase 1 (1–3 Years)

Charging infrastructure in all divisional city centres and important highways. Priority on fast charging in CNG/Petrol refueling stations.

📈

Phase 2 (3–5 Years)

Charging stations of at least 50 kW capacity within 100km of highways. Progressive EV procurement in government vehicle fleets.

Public Station Standards

DC Chargers: 50 kW (CCS/CHAdeMO). AC Charger: Type-2, 11 kW. Full-charge time: 20–30 minutes at DC stations.

🔋

Electricity Tariff

BERC tariff: 7.70 Tk./kWh energy charge + 40 Tk./KW/month demand charge. BREB installing solar-powered EV charging stations.