Yesterday, Road Prince, one of the biggest locally assembled motorcycle manufacturers, introduced its all-new 4-wheeler off-road ATV 200cc loader pickup. Now, for a moment, you’ll think, why in the world would someone take this tiny 200cc loader pickup off-road after loading the weight? Well, there’s a catch: it was Road Prince’s strategic move to exploit the Excise loophole. Here’s what we think:
Price of this Road Prince 200cc ATV Loader
Let’s discuss the price of this ugly-looking ATV loader first. Surprisingly, Road Prince has the guts to demand Rs. 830,000 for this tiny 200cc pickup that’s not even road-legal. Yes, we confirmed its pricing from their official FB page. At that price, anyone can get a used 2015-17 model Suzuki Ravi, which is a proper road-legal 800cc commercial pickup truck.
Excise Loophole for ATV Vehicles
In many countries, including Pakistan, road use of ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles) is not legal. While they have engines and four wheels, they’re designed specifically for off-roading and not for regular roads. This means they can’t be registered with the Excise Department and aren’t supposed to be driven on public roads.
Road Prince has cleverly taken advantage of this loophole by introducing their new loader pickup, calling it an ATV. While it’s labeled as an off-road vehicle, it’s clear that this loader is actually intended for city roads.
If someone were to challenge them in court for producing a vehicle that’s not road-legal but being used on roads, Road Prince could easily argue that they only designed it for off-road use. If people are driving it on roads, the company can claim it’s not their responsibility.
In Pakistan, where rules on road legality are often loosely enforced, this clever marketing tactic allows Road Prince to bring another unregistered vehicle onto the streets, much like their previous three-wheeler loaders. This is a smart way for the company to bypass legal restrictions while continuing to sell in the market.
According to the company, this ATV loader is available at a 100% booking price and can be delivered in 1-2 days in Lahore city. Delivery to other cities might take longer.
