Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly entering the Nepali auto market, supported by government initiatives to increase the consumption of electricity in the country and to make the environment pollution-free.

The government is also building infrastructure including charging stations required for charging electric vehicles in different places of the country. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has constructed charging stations in 51 different locations in the country.

Likewise, private sector engagement is also evident, with Sundar Transport Pvt Ltd operating EVs since four years. Recently, Sajha Yatayat, based in Pulchowk, has introduced 40 EVs and 21 charging stations.

According to NEA, so far 400 charging stations have been constructed and operational in the country, offering EV users significant cost savings compared to traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.

Employees of NEA and government agencies also use electric vehicles. According to the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), government employees are adopting EVs.

As the attraction towards electric vehicles has increased and the infrastructure including charging stations is being built, the stakeholders demand that the entire public transport should be converted to electric.

Transport expert Ashish Gajurel said that public transport should be converted to electric mode in order to replace imports of diesel and petrol while consuming domestically produced electricity. "Electric vehicles are capable of reducing environmental pollution and are safer than diesel and petrol-powered vehicles," he said, "It also helps to reduce trade losses."

Chiribabu Maharjan, Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, said that the metropolis plans to run electric buses in the Kathmandu Valley and to convert old vehicles that run on fuel into electric ones.

Although importing electric vehicles poses no issue, DoTM indicates a lack of policy standards for converting old vehicles to electric ones. Director Ram Chandra Paudel said that it is immediately impractical to phase out old fuel-powered vehicles and transition them to electric.

Additionally, Paudel pointed out legal hurdles between the three levels of government regarding the conversion of old vehicles to electric ones.

He said that establishing safety standards for electric vehicles is of utmost importance.

By: Hari Prasad Sharma