Taking an electric car to the northern areas works as far as Naran, where the public charging network currently ends, and stops being realistic beyond it. As of 2026 there is no public charging point at Chilas, Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu or Chitral, and the last charger on the way north is a single, slow AC unit in Naran itself. Cold temperatures and long climbs also cut a car's real-world range well below its rated figure, which matters more on this route than almost anywhere else in Pakistan.
This guide sets out where the charging network genuinely reaches, what an EV driver should plan around beyond that point, and how altitude and climbs affect range.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Northernmost public charger (2026) | Naran (Luxus Naran, Type 2 AC, 7 kW) |
| Chargers beyond Naran | None found at Chilas, Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu or Chitral |
| M-2 motorway | The best-developed corridor, with DC fast charging at Bhera |
| M-1 motorway | Sparser; a charger at Rashakai, with some points reported down |
| Typical rated range, mid-size EV | Roughly 380 to 410 km, lower in practice in the cold or on long climbs |
How far the network actually reaches
The M-2 from Lahore to Islamabad is the most usable stretch for an EV in Pakistan, with DC fast charging at Bhera letting most electric cars top up comfortably on the way. The M-1 towards Peshawar is thinner, with a charger at Rashakai and some other points reported out of service at times, so a driver heading that way should charge fully before leaving Islamabad rather than relying on a station further along. Once you leave the motorway network for the Hazara Motorway and the road to Naran, public charging becomes scarce, and the one charger we could confirm on this whole corridor is a 7 kW Type 2 AC unit in Naran itself, useful for a top-up overnight but far too slow to rely on for a quick stop.
What happens once you're past Naran
Nothing, in terms of public charging infrastructure. There is no charging point we could find at Chilas, Gilgit, Hunza, Skardu or Chitral, and none along the Babusar Pass or Karakoram Highway route between them. That makes an EV genuinely impractical for the leg beyond Naran unless you're driving a car with enough range to reach your destination and back on a single charge, factoring in the extra draw from a heater, headlights and the demands of a long climb, or you can arrange charging from a generator or a willing hotel with a standard socket, which will still be a slow, overnight charge at best.
Cold and climbs cut range further than the rating suggests
An EV's rated range is measured in mild, flat conditions, and both cold weather and sustained climbing pull it down. Battery chemistry is less efficient in low temperatures, common on this route for much of the year, and cabin heating draws directly from the battery rather than from waste engine heat the way a petrol car's heater does. A long, sustained climb, such as the approach to Babusar Top or the Skardu road's gorge sections, also uses more energy than the same distance on flat ground, even though a well-driven EV recovers some of it back through regenerative braking on the descent that follows. Treat a car's rated range as an optimistic upper limit on this route, not a working number, and plan around considerably less.
Which cars could realistically attempt it
Newer, longer-range models sold in Pakistan, such as the BYD Atto 3 with a rated range of around 410 km, have enough headroom on paper to reach Naran and back from Islamabad on a single charge with care. Whether they can safely go further into Gilgit-Baltistan on the same charge, with no charging option at the other end, is a much harder case to make, and we would not recommend attempting the stretch beyond Naran without a confirmed way to recharge at your destination.
The realistic plan for now
- Charge fully before leaving the motorway network, since Naran's charger is your last reliable option and it's a slow one.
- Treat Naran as the practical end of the trip for a pure EV, unless you have arranged charging, however slow, at wherever you're staying further north.
- Carry a plan B. A hybrid, or a second, petrol-powered vehicle in the group, removes the risk entirely for the leg beyond Naran.
- Check the charging map again before you travel. The network is expanding, and a station that doesn't exist today may exist by the time you go.
- Get the car properly checked before you leave, whatever it runs on; our car checkup guide covers what a pre-trip inspection should look at.
Is an EV the right choice for this trip today?
For the drive as far as Naran, or for a Murree and Galiyat trip that never goes further, yes, an EV with reasonable range works well and the M-2's charging is solid. For Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral or a Skardu road trip, not yet, unless you can arrange your own charging at the far end; the public network simply doesn't reach that far in 2026, and betting a holiday on a network that might expand before you travel isn't a plan. Our best car for the northern areas guide and travel guide both have more on choosing the right vehicle for the route you're actually driving.
Frequently asked questions
Can an electric car reach Gilgit or Hunza?
Not reliably on public charging as things stand in 2026. There is no charging point at Chilas, Gilgit or Hunza, so an EV would need enough range for the whole round trip from the last charger, or an arranged way to charge at the destination.
Where is the northernmost EV charging point right now?
Naran, with a single Type 2 AC charger rated at 7 kW. It's a slow charger, useful for an overnight top-up rather than a quick stop.
Does cold weather really reduce an EV's range that much?
Yes. Battery efficiency drops in low temperatures, and heating the cabin draws power directly from the battery, both of which cut real-world range below the rated figure, especially in the colder months this route sees for much of the year.
Do EVs recover any range on long descents?
Some, through regenerative braking, which feeds energy back into the battery while slowing the car. It offsets part of what a climb like Babusar uses, but not all of it.
Is it worth attempting the trip in an EV anyway?
As far as Naran, yes, given the motorway charging available. Beyond that, only with a confirmed charging plan at your destination; otherwise a petrol or hybrid vehicle is the safer choice for this route today.
