EV imports 70% down in first two months of current FY

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Sept. 30: The import of electric vehicles (EVs) has seen a sharp decline during the first two months of the current fiscal year 2025/26.

According to the statistics of the Department of Customs, only 486 electric four-wheelers --- cars, jeeps and vans --- were imported during the first two months of the current fiscal year. 

The import of four-wheeler electric vehicles has declined by almost 70 per cent during the first two months of the current fiscal year as compared to same period last fiscal year.

In the first two months of 2024/25, a total of 1,600 units of four-wheeler EVs were imported.

The country has spent around Rs 1.27 billion for the import of electric cars, jeeps and vans during the first two months of the current fiscal year.

The government had spent Rs. 3.81 billion for the import of 1,600 EVs during the first two months of the current fiscal year.

Similarly, the country has imported 1,108 three-wheeler electric vehicles worth Rs. 125 million in the first two months of the current fiscal year.

The government has collected customs revenue of Rs. 849 million while importing 486 four-wheeler electric vehicles and 1,108 three-wheeler electric vehicles during the review period.

The capacity of most imported electric vehicles ranges between 51 kW to 100 kW. A total of 378 electric vehicles with the capacity of 51 kW to 100 kW have been imported during the review period.

Similarly, 73 electric vehicles with motor power up to 50 kW have been imported. The number of electric vehicles with more than 101 kW to 200 kW motor power is 34 and above 201 kW is one. During the review period, about 1,921 unassembled electric three-wheelers worth Rs. 195 million have been imported.  Most of the electric vehicles imported into Nepal are Chinese in this review period. 

Of the 486, a total of 240 electric vehicles have been brought from China in the first two months of the current fiscal year. This is about 50 per cent of total import of electric vehicles. 

According to the Department, around 207 electric vehicles were imported from India, 34 from Thailand, three from United States of America and two from South Korea. According to the statistics, the country imported 13,569 electric vehicles (cars, jeeps and vans) worth Rs. 31.75 billion in the last fiscal year 2024/25.

In the fiscal year 2023/24, a total of 11,700 EVs worth Rs. 29.5 billion were imported. Similarly, in the fiscal year 2020/21, a total of 249 four-wheel electric vehicles (cars, jeeps) were imported while 1,800 four-wheeler electric vehicles (cars, jeeps) were imported in the fiscal year 2021/22 and 4,050 in the fiscal year 2022/23.