Entrepreneurs affiliated to the Electric Vehicle Association of Nepal (EVAN) have urged the government to bring supportive policies for electric vehicles to reduce pollution levels and to contribute to the national economy.

EVAN is an umbrella organization of Electric Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Nepal (EVMAN), Chairman of Clean Locomotives Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal (CLEAN) and Nepal Electric Vehicle Charging Association (NEVCA).

They said that electric vehicles not only reduces pollution but also contributes to the national economy through carbon trade if the country associates it with the CDM project as per the Kyoto protocol.

As per the Kyoto Protocol, the industrialized nations for which reducing emissions of carbon is a daunting task could buy the emission rights from another nation whose industries do not produce as much of these gases. The market for carbon is possible because the goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce emissions as a collective.

“Presently, there are 600 electric vehicles in the country but there should be minimum 2000 electric vehicles to be associated with the ‘CDM Project’,” they added.

600 electric vehicles plying in the street are consuming nearly 200 thousand units of electricity per day and paying around 40 million rupees to the Nepal Electricity Authority annually.

They have demanded to remove excise duties imposed on import of chassis of electric vehicles, to introduce seasonal tariff in electricity and provide concession in the electricity for the electric vehicles.

They also urged the government to form supportive policies for the development of electric vehicles in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital on Tuesday, Chairman of EVAN, Hridya Narayan Manandhar, urged the government to implement subsidies in the electricity used by electric vehicles as such vehicles are using wasteful electricity in the night.

He informed that the 32 percent excise duty imposed in the import of chassis of the electric vehicle is the main hindrance for the increase of such vehicles and urged the government to revoke it.

Umesh Raj Shrestha of CLEAN, demanded to fix separate routes for electric vehicles to compare pollution levels against other vehicles.

“If the government substitutes 20 years old vehicles with the electric vehicles, the country could gain much benefit from the trade of carbon as well as save foreign currency used for the import of fissile fuels,” he added.

According to statistics, the number of 20 year old vehicles exceeds 13 thousand.

Currently only three wheeler electric vehicles are operating in Nepal, but the entrepreneurs claim that they are ready to operate four wheelers and mini-buses if the government forms supportive policies for it.