Why one government is giving women free pink electric mopeds
The Sindh government in Pakistan has just launched a bold new initiative aimed at transforming mobility for women: a fleet of free pink electric scooters for female students and working women. Called the Free Pink EV Scooty Scheme, the program is designed to offer women across the province a safer, more dignified, and cost-effective way to get to school or work without relying on crowded, often unsafe public transportation.
Like many countries in the region, Pakistan is a deeply patriarchal society, not historically known for gender equality or freedom. That has meant that despite women technically having equal standing under the law, they often face significant challenges accessing safe and reliable transportation, let alone gaining higher education or entering the workforce.
Announced by Sindh Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon, the initiative goes beyond transportation to empower women seeking to enroll in education or join the workforce in the nation’s second-largest province.
Eligible participants include women who are permanent residents of Sindh, hold a valid driver’s license (car or motorcycle), and are either employed or in school. Winners will be selected via a public, lottery-style balloting system conducted in front of media and overseen by multiple government departments. To ensure safety, selected applicants will also need to pass a road skills test before riding off.
“We have ensured a transparent and merit-based selection process so that the maximum number of women can benefit,” said Sindh Minister of Transport Sharjeel Memon, who emphasized that the project will cut commuting costs, save time, and increase safety for women on the move.
But the program doesn’t stop at just handing over keys. It includes full registration, insurance, helmets, and even rider training. Riders will also have access to an expanding network of EV charging stations throughout Sindh, making this a fully supported electric mobility solution.
By investing in personal electric transportation for women, the government hopes to improve access to education and employment, reduce reliance on gas-powered public transport, and promote sustainability. It’s a major step for a region where mobility remains a significant barrier to opportunity for many women, and one that may serve as a model for similar programs across the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond.
Electrek’s Take
I think the fact that electric scooters are being used as a tool to provide transportation equality and increased accessibility is a great thing here, and highlights the importance of these types of vehicles in the broader mobility ecosystem. The whole “let’s give the women a bunch of pink scooters” definitely sounds like an idea thought up by a man, but I think their hearts were in the right place.
In much of Pakistan, especially in conservative and rural areas, women face significant challenges in accessing safe and reliable transportation. Public transport can be overcrowded, unsafe, or socially restrictive for women, which in turn limits their access to education and employment opportunities. By offering these free e-scooters, the government is trying to empower women with greater autonomy and freedom of movement, thereby increasing their participation in both the academic and economic spheres.
There are obviously huge strides that still need to be made in many similar countries in order for women to feel safe when out of the home, let alone have access to employment and educational opportunities, but it sounds like this program is working towards addressing those issues.
Note: The lead image is AI-generated, but then again, so is the Sindh Government’s image. So we’re just sort of sticking with the theme, there.
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Environment
Kia’s electric van was spotted in the US again, but this time it looks a little different
Is Kia’s electric van finally coming to the US? The Kia PV5 was caught testing with a unique design, hinting it’s destined for the US.
Is Kia’s electric van coming to the US?
Although Kia has yet to announce it publicly, all signs point to the PV5 launching in the US. In February, the electric van was first spotted charging at a station in Indiana.
A few photos and a video sent to Electrek confirmed it was indeed the Kia PV5. The sighting came somewhat as a surprise, as the only official statement from Kia said the PV5 would arrive in Europe and South Korea this year, followed by “launches in other markets” in 2026, but no mention was made of the US.
After another PV5 was spotted in Arizona, rumors that Kia’s electric van was coming to the US began to surface again.
Kia still has yet to confirm or deny a US launch, but another sighting hints at the PV5’s imminent debut. The latest spotting, by KindelAuto, appears to be of the US-spec 2026 Kia PV5.
It looks about the same as the Kia PV5 Passenger, which is already available in parts of Europe and South Korea. However, although it’s not very clear, Kia’s electric van appears to have added side marker lights, a requirement in the US.
Following its launch in the UK earlier this year, the Kia PV5 Passenger is now being introduced to new European markets.
In the UK, it starts at £32,995 ($44,000) on the road. In Germany, the PV5 Passenger is priced from €38,290 ($45,000) or €249 per month.
Kia’s electric van is available in two variants: Passenger, for everyday driving, and Cargo, for business use. The PV5 Passenger is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 183 miles and 256 miles, respectively. Meanwhile, several more variants are on the way.
During its PV5 Tech Day in July, we learned that Kia plans to launch seven PV5 body types, including a Light Camper, a premium “Prime” Passenger model, and an open bed version.
We’ll have to wait for the official word, but there’s still hope Kia’s electric van will make it to the US. We should find out soon. Can we get the EV5 too? That might be pushing it.
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A new review of US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data by the SUN DAY Campaign reveals that in July, solar-powered electricity shot up by over 30%, while wind grew by almost 14% in the US.
Solar continues to break records in July
EIA’s latest monthly “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through July 31, 2025), once again confirms that solar is the fastest growing among the major sources of US electricity.
In July alone, electrical generation by utility-scale solar (i.e., >1-megawatt (MW)) surged by 36.9% compared to July 2024, while “estimated” small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV increased by 12.7%. Combined, they grew by 30.4% and provided 9.4% of US electrical output, up from 7.5% year-over-year.
Moreover, utility-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic expanded by 37.4%, while generation from small-scale systems rose by 11.0% during the first seven months of 2025 year-over-year. The combination of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 29.9% and was 8.9% (utility-scale: 6.7%; small-scale: 2.2%) of total US electrical generation for January to July – up from 7.0% a year earlier.
As a consequence, solar-generated electricity year-to-date (YTD) easily surpassed – by over 54% – the output of US hydropower plants (5.7%). In July alone, solar-generated electricity more than doubled the output of hydropower. In fact, in both July and YTD, solar produced more electricity than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined.
And for the first time ever, 4% more electricity was generated in July by utility-scale solar (33,119-GWh) than by wind farms (31,831-GWh). Including small-scale systems, solar outproduced wind by over 35% during the month (43,092 GWh).
Wind is still on a growth trajectory
US wind turbines produced 10.8% of US electricity in the first seven months of 2025, an increase of 3.5% year-over-year, and they almost doubled electrical generation by the nation’s hydropower plants.
In July alone, wind-generated electricity was 13.8% greater than a year before.
Wind + solar are beating coal, nuclear
During the first seven months of 2025, electrical generation by wind plus utility-scale and small-scale solar provided 19.6% of the US total, up from 17.8% during the first seven months of 2024.
Further, the EIA reports that the combination of wind and solar provided 19.1% more electricity than did coal during the first seven months of 2025, and 14.1% more than nuclear. In fact, as solar and wind grew rapidly, nuclear-generated electricity dropped by 1.0%.
Renewables are still on the rise
All renewables combined (wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal) produced 9.9% more electricity between January and July than they did a year ago and provided 26.7% of total US electricity production compared to 25.1% 12 months earlier.
Electrical generation by the combination of all renewables grew three times faster than total US electrical generation (9.9% vs. 3.3%). Renewables’ share of electrical generation is now second to only that of natural gas, which saw a decline in electrical output by almost 3.5% during the first seven months of 2025.
“Notwithstanding enactment of the anti-renewables provisions in the Trump megabill, solar and wind continue to power ahead,” noted the SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director, Ken Bossong. “Meanwhile, the electrical output YTD by the Republicans’ preferred technologies – nuclear power and natural gas – has actually fallen.”
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Lucid Motors (LCID) delivered the first Gravity Robotaxi EV to Nuro on Wednesday, marking a milestone in its partnership with Uber.
Lucid delivers the first Gravity Robotaxi EV to Nuro
In July, Lucid announced a partnership with Uber and Nuro to deploy 20,000 autonomous Gravity SUVs over the next six years.
The alliance is already on the move. Lucid announced that it delivered the first Gravity EV to Nuro on Wednesday, which will be used for the Uber robotaxi fleet.
Lucid’s electric SUV will be equipped with Nuro’s Level 4 self-driving tech, including the sensors and other hardware.
Starting in 2026, Uber aims to launch “20,000 or more” Lucid robotaxi’s over the next six years. The vehicles will join Uber’s network and will be available to use through the Uber App. To help kick-start the alliance, Uber is investing $300 million into Lucid.
Lucid said delivering the first vehicle, “marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter,” teasing that more is to come soon.
Although Gravity production at its plant in Casa Grande, Arizona, was limited due to supply chain issues earlier this year, Lucid said it has mostly resolved the problems.
Lucid’s interim CEO, Marc Winterhoff, said during an interview with Brew Markets on Tuesday that the Gravity has “so many orders” that the company will honor the $7,500 EV tax credit until the end of the year.
Introducing our Robotaxi Engineering Fleet.
Lucid has delivered the first @Uber-exclusive robotaxi engineering vehicle to @nuro for integration with the Nuro Driver.
This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter—stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/It5rWqFHS2— Lucid Motors (@LucidMotors) September 24, 2025
According to Winterhoff, Lucid doesn’t “want to tell order holders, you know what, you’re out of luck, we didn’t deliver in time.
Despite many of its luxury rivals, including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW, pulling back on electrification plans, Winterhoff said Lucid will remain a pure EV company.
Winterhoff said the loss of the federal $7,500 EV tax credit will have a limited impact on sales due to Lucid’s market position and pricing.
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