Electric vehicles still make up a tiny percentage of total vehicle sales in Nepal, but its demand has been increasing rapidly largely due to falling battery prices, which has made such vehicles affordable.

Domestic automobile dealers said that more consumers were gravitating towards electric vehicles (EVs) due to overall cost savings compared to vehicles powered by fossil fuels.

They added that with the global automobile market shifting towards EVs, Nepal would be no exception.

 Pramod Bhandari, executive senior manager at Agni Incorporated, said they have sold more than 500 units E-Verito till date. “It’s all from word of mouth promotion of the EVs. Customers are coming here after hearing positive feedback from their friends and relatives.”

Prices of Mahindra EVs range from Rs1.5 million to Rs2.88 million. The company is planning to introduce electric SUVs ahead of the upcoming NADA Autoshow.

Agni Incorporated, the authorised distributor of Mahindra vehicles in Nepal, introduced EVs to Nepal in 2010. The company has since been offering different EV models such as Reva, e2o Plus and E-Verito. And other automobile dealers are planning to launch new variants of electric vehicles this year. 

Hyundai Ionic which was launched at the NADA Auto Show last year has been receiving good number of response from customers, the company said.  

According to Awashis Ojha, head of marketing and communication at Hyundai Nepal, the company plans to launch the all new Hyundai Kona electric vehicle this month. 

Hyundai Kona is a modern EV that features the latest technology, said the company. Kona will be launched at a competitive market price. 

Pooja International, the authorised distributor of Volkswagen in Nepal, also plans to introduce electric four wheelers in 2019. Prabodh Shrestha, senior sales manager at Pooja International, said they would be introducing electric SUVs and hatchbacks by June this year. 

Likewise, CG Motocorp also plans to launch an electric vehicle in 2019 as soon as the vehicle gets launched in Indian market, said the company. However, dealers said that lack of infrastructure—such as well-paved roads and charging stations across highways—has become a major problem for the growth and expansion of the EV market in Nepal.