Interview with Mr. Rohail Razzaq, a Germany-based Pakistani Automotive Engineer
PAGE: Tell me something about yourself, please:
Rohail Razzaq: I was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. About a decade ago, I moved to Germany to pursue my master’s degree and what started as a study abroad experience turned into a new chapter of life and career.I’m an Automotive Engineer by profession and currently work as a Project Manager, focusing on the development of battery systems for electric vehicles. Being part of this fast-evolving field allows me to contribute to the future of sustainable mobility, which is something I’m truly passionate about. Outside of work, I like to stay active by playing sports and spending time in nature. I find that being outdoors helps me recharge and keeps me grounded. Every now and then, I also enjoy cooking it’s a simple pleasure that reminds me of home and gives me a creative outlet beyond engineering.
PAGE: What shift could be seen in the auto sector in a couple of decades?
Rohail Razzaq: The automotive sector is undergoing a lot where electrification, software, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the industry. Electric vehicles will continue to grow in importance and gradually become the dominant technology in many regions, but internal combustion engine vehicles will remain part of the market for years, especially in regions with cost or infrastructure constraints. At the same time, autonomous driving will gain traction, particularly in urban and controlled environments, enabling new mobility models such as shared, self-driving shuttles that pick up and drop off multiple passengers efficiently (for example school buses or points for companies/plants). Vehicles themselves are evolving into highly capable platforms equipped with advanced hardware and electronics, where functionalities can be activated or upgraded through software updates or optional packages. This shift toward software-defined vehicles is creating new business opportunities, as automakers move from one-time vehicle sales to recurring revenue through digital services and features. In parallel, artificial intelligence will play a critical role by improving the precision and safety of autonomous driving, as well as optimizing areas such as energy management, maintenance, and overall vehicle performance. Overall, the industry is transitioning from a hardware-focused model to a software- and intelligence-driven ecosystem.
PAGE: How much is consumer demand for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) annually?
Rohail Razzaq: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) currently hold the largest share among electrified powertrains, followed by plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Together, these electrified vehicles already account for roughly 30–35% of total global demand. At the same time, the mindset the Western world, with many households adopting a dual-powertrain approach, typically owning one EV for daily use and one internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle for longer journeys or flexibility. This shift is driven by the clear advantages of EVs in urban environments, where they offer a smoother, quieter, and more convenient driving experience for everyday activities such as commuting, school runs, and grocery shopping. Additionally, many companies are now offering only electric vehicles as company cars, while free or subsidized charging at offices and workplaces makes EV ownership even more attractive by significantly lowering operating costs. Looking ahead, a major inflection point will be reached when charging or battery replacement times become comparable to the time required to refuel at a gas station. Once this convenience gap is closed, will potentially drive EV demand to 70–80%.
PAGE: What is your standpoint on technological advancement in auto sector?
Rohail Razzaq: Technological advancement in the automotive sector is progressing rapidly, but when compared to other industries, the pace can appear slower. This is largely due to the unique constraints of the automotive environment, where products must remain reliable, safe, and functional over a lifespan of 10–15 years, creating significantly higher validation and durability requirements. At the same time, strong cost pressure means that vehicles must remain price competitive, which limits the extent of computational hardware that can be integrated, especially compared to consumer electronics or IT sectors. However, this traditional approach is now being fundamentally challenged. With the increasing demand for software driven functionalities, the industry is redefining its architecture and development models shifting from distributed, hardware-focused systems to more centralized, scalable, and software-oriented platforms. As a result, vehicles are evolving into complex, upgradeable systems where software plays a central role, driving a major transformation in how automobiles are designed, developed, and maintained.
PAGE: How would you comment on price structure for vehicles globally?
Rohail Razzaq: In general automobiles remain expensive and will remain that way in general. Out of that EVs remain relatively expensive today, primarily due to the high cost of batteries. However, this is expected to improve over time as battery technology advances and diversifies across different cell chemistries, production scales up, and supply chains mature ultimately driving down overall vehicle costs. At the same time, Asian manufacturers have established a clear advantage in producing more cost competitive vehicles compared to many European and American OEMs. This is largely driven by their faster time-to-market, leaner development processes, and more agile working models, enabling them to bring products to market with lower resource expenditure. As a result, they can offer similar levels of performance and features at significantly lower prices. In many cases, a European OEM vehicle with comparable features is noticeably more expensive than an equivalent Asian OEM offering in the same market, highlighting a growing competitiveness gap, and increasing pressure on traditional OEMs to accelerate development cycles, optimize costs, and rethink their overall operating models.