Hetauda, September 4

An electric car for Province 3 Chief Minister Dormani Poudel has arrived in the province headquarters Hetauda today.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Minister of Energy Barshaman Pun also have been using electric cars. The province government procured the electric vehicle for CM Poudel as the government had earlier taken a decision to promote electric vehicles in the province. The province government in its policy and programme had announced that it would promote electric vehicles in Kathmandu valley, Chitwan, Hetauda, Banepa, Dhulikhel and Panuti starting 2028.

CM Paudel will also start a campaign that will encourage the use of electric vehicles.

According to Province 3 Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, the electric car manufactured in China cost Rs 55 lakhs. Surya Goods Suppliers — authorised dealer for the electric vehicle in Nepal, said the manufacturer had claimed that the car would travel 400 kilometres after being charged for two hours. There is also a 10-year of warranty on the battery.

A charging station will be set up on the premises of the chief minister’s office building in first phase and more charging stations will be set up in Muglin of Chitwan, Hetauda and different places along the Tribhuvan Highway later, the CM’s office said.

The province government is also preparing to operate electric buses in the province. The electric buses will operate from Hetauda to Narayangadh in the first phase and the service would expand to Rasuwa from Hetauda, among other places.

CM Poudel said the province would be promoted as a green energy province with the operation of electric vehicles. He added that the use of electric vehicles would increase with the increment of electricity production in Nepal. Earlier, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had inaugurated electric buses in Kathmandu.