Major international brands exhibited their electric vehicles (EVs) at the EV Nepal Expo held last week, in Kathmandu. Along with the EV models manufactured in China and India, the homegrown EVs too drew the attention of the visitors at the expo.

Here are five EV brands which visitors and exhibitors said were unique.

BREV Microvan

Brij Motors Group, a pioneering name in the Nepali auto spare parts, showcased the BREV Microvan during the expo.

The maximum carrying capacity of the microvan is one tonne and can transport 13 passengers, including a driver. The outer dimension of the vehicle is 4,460 mm in length, 1,900 mm in breadth and 2,150 mm in height. The ground clearance is 300 mm and the wheel track of 1,420 mm, according to the company.

Sushil Agrawal, chairman of Brij Motors Group, designed the BREV Microvan. Agrawal, who served the Department of Transport Management for two and a half decades, is also credited with introducing the Safa Tempo in Nepal.

SAFA tempos are the EV introduced in Kathmandu valley in 1996.

BREV is equipped with a manual transmission with a five-gear system that gives it a maximum speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour. It has a 72V LFP 400 AH Lithium Ion battery pack of 28.80 kWh that offers a range of 150 kilometres on a single charge. The duration to fully charge is four-six hours.

There is a three-year warranty on the battery and a year warranty on the rest of the components. The vehicle is priced at Rs3.1 million.

MAK EV Passenger

The three-wheeler tempo was rolled out by Mithila Auto Kraft also known as MAK four years ago. MAK showcased prototypes of its two flagship products at the EV Nepal Expo, Bhrikutimandap last Friday.

MAK EV Passenger is an eleven-seater tempo with a soft-top body. It runs on an arrangement of six lead acid batteries each of 140 Ampere which takes 4-10 hours of charging time and offers a range of 100-120 kilometres. The motor capacity of the tempo is 4 kilowatts which give a peak power of 9 kW at 3500 RPM and 60 NM torque. Its maximum speed is 55 kilometres per hour.

It has four gears consisting of one low, two high and reverses gears. The dimension of the tempo is 1,430 mm in width, 3,400 mm in length, 1,940 mm in height, 2,120 mm wheelbase and a ground clearance of 225 mm.

The price of the MAK EV Passenger run by the lead acid battery is Rs950,000.

The tempo is available in the lithium-ion battery system at the request of customers. That would increase the range to 125 kilometres and decrease the charging time to two hours.

The lithium-ion battery-equipped MAK EV Passenger costs approximately Rs1.3 million.

MAK EV Cargo

MAK EV is also offered in a cargo version.

MAK EV Cargo is a garbage loader with a maximum carrying capacity of one tonne. The vehicle has a combination of six lead acid batteries of 150 Ampere. It runs on a 5 kW motor that produces 10 kW of peak power at 3500 RPM and 75 NM torque. This vehicle has a top speed of 55 kilometres. It takes 4-10 hours of charging time and offers a range of 120 kilometres on a single charge.

It has a wheelbase of 2,170 mm, a length of 3,200 mm, a height of 1,740 mm, a width of 1,470 mm and a ground clearance of 225 mm.

This loader comes with four driving modes consisting of one low, two high modes and a reverse.

The price of the MAK EV Cargo starts from Rs900,000.

The loader also comes with an additional hydraulic back feature at the price of Rs110,000. This helps to lift the container at the back which makes the unloading of garbage easier.

Customers can customise MAK EV Cargo in a lithium-ion battery system too. However, the price costs Rs1400,000. The company offers one year warranty and four free servicing on both vehicles.

Pancbike

Nepal’s pioneering cycle store Pancha Asta Narayan Cycles introduced electric bicycles under its own brand—Pancbike.

The customers can select battery options ranging from 5 Ampere to 20 Ampere. The 5 Ampere lithium-ion battery has 30 cells that give a range of 10- 20 kilometres. If customers prefer to buy a 20 ampere Samsung Cell it gives a range of 30-50 kilometres and the Panasonic batteries give a range of 50-70 kilometres on a single charge.

These electric bicycles take 3.5 to 6 hours to fully recharge.

The company offers seven different segments of electric cycles.

The level one electric version of the bicycle has a price tag ranging from Rs45,000 to Rs65,000. The hybrid cycle stands at level two. The eclectic version starts from Rs65,000. The third level of the cycle is an aluminium-framed casual mountain bike. The non-electric versions are available from Rs40,000 to Rs50,000. The electric version starts from Rs95,000.

The fourth level of cycles is known as cross country. They are equipped with hydraulic shock. They are best used for adventurous offroading. The price of cross-country starts from Rs50,000. The eclectic version starts from a price tag of Rs150,000.

Level five in the list of cycles is called the Trail bike made for rough trails. Its conventional version costs around Rs80,000. The electric trail bikes cost around Rs190,000. The sixth level in the list is called Enduro double shock bike. They are equipped with shock absorbers on both wheels which makes the ride smoother even on the hard downhill. Its manual pedal version comes at Rs200,000 to Rs300,000. The electrified models cost around Rs490,000.

The most premium category of bicycles is called downhill bikes. They are used for extreme sporting and off-roading as they can easily make big jumps. The price ranges from Rs500,000 to Rs600,000. The electric version costs Rs900,000.

BRAVO II

Jumbo Motors, the distributor of Bravo electric scooters, showcased its 2,000W BRAVO II model. The e-scooter comes with three battery options–1.5 kW single, 1.5 kW double, and 4 kW single lithium-ion battery arrangements–that offer a range of 50, 100, and 120 kilometres, respectively, at a top speed of 75 kilometres per hour.

The scooter gets fully charged in two hours and even has a provision of reserve power that runs it for 8 kilometres, said Binod Prasad Neupane, president of Jumbo Motors.

BRAVO II comes with a retro look. It has hydraulic spring shock absorbers at both the rear and front wheels for a comfortable ride. It's also equipped with hydraulic disc brakes on both wheels.

It comes with three driving modes–economy, comfort, and sport, which allow the user to optimise the power and range.

The company provides a two years warranty on motor and battery.

The additional features include a LED display, air cooling, LED head and tail light, tubeless tyres, and a replaceable battery. BRAVO II is European Economic Community-certified which makes it a European Standard product, according to Neupane.

The company has set the prices of their scooters with 1.5 kW single, 1.5 kW double and 4kW batteries models at Rs296,000, Rs359,000 and Rs399,000, respectively.