Kathmandu, January 25
If the data recorded by the Department of Customs are anything to go by, Nepal’s auto market is turning green-wards as the country’s electric vehicle import swelled in the past six months.
The department says the country imported 1,103 electric lightweight four-wheelers in the first six months of the current fiscal year (mid-July 2021-mid-January 2022). In the last fiscal year 2020/21, Nepal imported 261 electric lightweight four-wheelers in the 12 months.
NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal, an organisation of auto dealers in Nepal, says the government decision to reduce tax rates on electric vehicles has an impact on imports.
The association’s president Dhruba Thapa says easy banking facilities, ever-increasing fuel prices, increasing awareness about the environment and the global trend have also contributed to the rising imports.
He informs Nepali customers have expressed their readiness to wait for several months to get their electric cars as the dealers have been unable to meet the demand instantly.
For example, Sipradi Trading, the authorised dealer of Tata Motors in Nepal, says it has received 600 bookings for Tata Nexon EV, but only around 250 units have been supplied so far.
