Kathmandu, Nov 6. Although the electric vehicles (EV) have begun plying the roads of Kathmandu Valley for some years now, government has not yet determined the tariff for charging stations.
Although the government has taken up the policy to promote EVs in Nepal to reduce the carbon emission as well as the import of fossil fuel vehicles, almost all of the EVs plying on the roads in Nepal are from the private sector.
Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, President of Sundar Yatayat Pvt Ltd, which first operated electric buses for public in Nepal, underscored the need for the government to fix the rate for the charging for EVs.
The four EVs currently being operated by the Sundar Yatayat have been charging around 20 per cent less fare from the passengers than in other fossil-fuel powered vehicles. According to Thapa, the fare in the EV could be further discounted if the government would consider subsidizing the charging cost for EVs.
Sundar Yatayat is preparing to expand its fleet with 25 more EVs. While 300 EVs that the government announced to purchase has been in a limbo, the private sectors have expressed their willingness to step in.
