Pakistan to roll out affordable locally-produced EV rickshaws

Morning! In a summer where even thinking about coffee makes us sweat, who would’ve thought that a song called ‘Espresso’ will become the hit of the season? Well, that’s what happens when you work late and you’re a… singerr.

In this week’s edition:

🌶️ Indian spice + British = Drama

⚡ Hello, gross metering. Bye, net metering

👨🏻‍💻 You’ll soon be able to talk to your PC

🛺 EV cars? Think smaller

- The Itla Squad 💼

Business

Global 🌎️

There’s drama bound to happen where Indian spices and British are concerned..

An Indian spice trade group warned that spice exports might drop by 40% due to contamination concerns with two major brands. The issue revolves around a pesticide that the group believes is safe but others say could cause cancer with long-term exposure.

The details:

• India is the world's top exporter, consumer, and producer of spices, with exports worth $4 billion from April 2022 to March 2023. The Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders (FISS) reported that some export orders are on hold due to scrutiny of MDH and Everest, two well-known Indian spice brands.

• Hong Kong stopped sales of certain spice blends from these brands because they had high levels of ethylene oxide (ETO), a pesticide that can cause cancer with long-term exposure. The US Environmental Protection Agency says that long-term exposure to ETO can increase the risk of various cancers.

• The UK has also increased checks on Indian spice imports, and the US, New Zealand, and Australia are also looking into the issue, causing many orders to be paused.

Looking ahead: These allegations have spotlighted India's spice export industry and not in a good way. India’s Spices Board says it has strict guidelines for ETO residue and will closely monitor exports. FISS claims ETO is effective against pathogens and not harmful in the amounts used.

TLDR: An Indian spice trade group warns that spice exports might drop by 40% due to contamination concerns with MDH and Everest brands, involving a pesticide called ethylene oxide (ETO) which is linked to cancer. This issue has led to halted export orders and increased scrutiny from countries like Hong Kong, the UK, the US, New Zealand, and Australia.

What else is new in news

✶Texas and Pakistan: United by power outages and their government taking way longer to do something about it. Over 223,000 homes and businesses in Texas were still without power on Monday after last week’s storms, according to PowerOutage.us (yup, such a website exists for the US). This is an improvement from the 946,000 customers who lost power on Friday.

Local 🇵🇰

Sunset time for solar

Someone heard us celebrating over low-solar-panel prices and got pissed off.

Pakistan recently briefed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about its plan to change the way rooftop solar panels are used. Pakistan plans to end the net metering policy for rooftop solar panels and replace it with gross metering. The decision comes amid discussions about energy debt restructuring from China.

The details:

• The Ministry of Energy expressed concerns (read: whined) to the IMF about the impact of solarization on electricity demand and idle capacity payments. Idle capacity payments are what the government pays to power plant owners, even when their plants are not producing electricity.

• The rapid adoption of rooftop solar panels by consumers has led to a decrease in electricity demand from the grid. This has resulted in higher idle capacity payments and quarterly tariff adjustments, making electricity more expensive for consumers.

• The IMF suggested negotiating capacity payments with power producers to reduce electricity costs. However, Pakistan has already renegotiated most contracts, except those related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Looking ahead: We are f*cked. Pakistan's decision to move from net metering to gross metering for rooftop solar panels will impact consumers and industries who may have invested millions already.

TLDR: Pakistan recently informed the IMF about its plan to switch from net metering to gross metering for rooftop solar panels. The Ministry of Energy expressed concerns about solar adoption lowering grid demand and increasing idle capacity payments, making electricity more expensive.

News Flash

✶ PM Shehbaz wants to put a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer in power companies to fight corruption. This FIA officer will investigate corrupt officials while an additional director general will oversee operations from the headquarters.

Tech

Global 🌎️

You'll soon be able to talk to your PC

AI is coming into your PCs.

Microsoft has introduced a new type of computer called "Copilot+ PCs," packed with advanced AI features. This is Microsoft's way of competing with big players like Google and Apple by making smarter computers.

The details:

• AI PCs come with cool AI abilities, making them faster and more helpful. These computers can do complex tasks without always needing an internet connection. They feature tools like "Recall," which helps you find files easily, and can even assist you while playing games.

• Yusuf Mehdi, the Microsoft exec over Windows, said the new laptops will be “58 percent faster” than a MacBook Air with an M3 processor and have battery life that lasts “all day.”

• This move by Microsoft reminds us of Intel's "Ultrabook" campaign from the past, aimed at challenging Apple's dominance in the market. The Ultrabook initiative, launched in 2011, promoted thin-form Windows laptops with Intel processors as a response to the popularity of Apple's MacBook Air.

• In addition to unveiling Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft announced the integration of GPT-4o, the latest AI technology from OpenAI, into its Copilot platform.

Moving ahead: Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs mark a significant step forward in computer technology. The Copilot+ PCs start at $1,000 and Microsoft expects to sell around 50 million Copilot+ PCs in the next year, showing their confidence in the appeal of AI-driven computing.

TLDR: Microsoft has introduced "Copilot+ PCs," new computers packed with advanced AI features that can perform complex tasks without needing constant internet access, featuring tools like "Recall" to easily find files and a real-time virtual coach for games. Additionally, Microsoft will integrate OpenAI's latest GPT-4o technology into its Copilot platform. The Copilot+ PCs, starting at $1,000, are expected to sell 50 million units in the next year.

What else is new in news

✶Apple has started a big discount campaign on its official Tmall store in China. They're cutting prices by up to 2,300 yuan ($318) on certain iPhone models to keep up in the high-end smartphone market, where local competitors like Huawei are getting stronger.

Local 🇵🇰 

EV cars? Think smaller

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are all the rage and while you might be thinking about EV cars or buses, you might wanna think something smaller: rickshaws.

Pakistan is set to begin local production of Electric Vehicle (EV) rickshaws soon, aiming to reduce their prices. This is the first time EV rickshaws will be produced locally, making them more affordable.

The details:

• Importing EV rickshaw kits from China is expensive and difficult due to high transportation costs and limited container capacity. Local production will reduce the price of EV rickshaws from Rs1 million to Rs400,000-500,000 per unit.

• Many parts like the body and chassis can be made locally, while motors, controllers, and batteries will be imported initially.

• These EV rickshaws will have solar panels for charging during the day.

Looking ahead: Four to five companies in Lahore will soon start making and selling EV rickshaws with help from Chinese firms. By the end of the year, EV rickshaws could be on the roads in Pakistan, offering a cheaper and maintenance-free option compared to fuel-driven rickshaws.

TLDR: Electric Vehicles (EVs) are gaining popularity with Pakistan set to begin local production of EV rickshaws, reducing their price to Rs400,000-500,000 per unit. This shift will involve producing parts like the body and chassis locally while importing motors, controllers, and batteries initially. The new rickshaws will feature solar panels for daytime charging.

Tech tour of news

✶aiSight, a startup using AI to analyze data for the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry, has joined the NielsenIQ Partner Network. which gives aiSight access to NielsenIQ's global retail sales data. Together, they aim to convert retail data into actionable insights for sales, marketing, and trade teams of Fortune 500 CPG companies.

More interesting Itla (اطلاع) we consumed:

👑 Watched “Bridgerton” because it’s.. well, Bridgerton but stayed for the beautiful soulful cover of Sia’s “Cheap Thrills” by The Vitamin String Quartet.