Nepal’s EV Imports Surge, Electric Cars Jump Fourfold

KATHMANDU; Nepal imported 689 electric cars in the first month of the current fiscal year, more than four times the 160 units imported during the same period last fiscal year.

Electric cars accounted for the largest share of four-wheeler imports during the review period. According to the Department of Customs (DoC), only 188 petroleum-fueled cars were imported in the same month.

The electric two-wheeler market also recorded significant growth. A record 5,174 electric scooters and other two-wheelers were imported in a single month, taking EVs’ share of total two-wheeler imports to 18.60 percent.

The government collected Rs 1.061 billion in revenue from electric car imports valued at Rs 1.61 billion, according to customs data.

Entrepreneurs attribute the growing demand for EVs to the expansion of charging infrastructure, rising petroleum prices, lower operating costs and the increasing availability of new models. Electric cars, jeeps, vans and scooters across budget and premium segments are now available in the Nepali market.

Traders say EVs are becoming increasingly attractive in Nepal because electricity costs less than petrol and diesel, helping consumers reduce operating expenses.

The demand for electric three-wheelers is also rising. Between mid-July and mid-August, Nepal imported 1,888 electric three-wheelers worth Rs 227.8 million. Of these, 1,171 units worth Rs 122.5 million were imported in unassembled form.