KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 18

Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, has expressed the government's commitment to promote environmentally friendly electric vehicles and implement policies to support this initiative. He emphasised the importance of electric vehicle (EV) promotion for environmental conservation and increasing electricity consumption in Nepal.

During an inspection at the NADA Auto Show 2023 here, Minister Basnet also highlighted the government's priority to establish more charging stations across the country to facilitate adoption of EVs.

He mentioned that the private sector's involvement in building charging stations has been encouraged, with necessary facilitation provided, and the Nepal Electricity Authority managing the transmission system and transformers.

Minister Basnet assured that the government is dedicated to supporting the EV industry and aims to create a suitable environment for their promotion. He noted the recent launch of 51 charging stations and the intention to build more such stations to encourage electric vehicle usage.

Furthermore, he urged the private sector to invest in construction of more charging stations, emphasising that collaboration between the government and private sector is essential for both environmental protection and reducing the country's dependence on imported petroleum products.

Additionally, NADA officials requested policy stability and additional tax breaks for EVs during the event.

The NADA Auto Show was held from September 12 to 17, showcasing 16 brands in the four-wheeler section, 22 brands in the two-wheeler section, and seven brands of light commercial vehicles.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 19, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.