Electric vehicles (EVs) now account for nearly 80 percent of newly imported four-wheeler passenger vehicles in Nepal, but weak infrastructure, limited charging facilities, battery-related concerns and a shortage of skilled manpower continue to pose major challenges to the country’s e-mobility transition, according to a government study.

The report titled “Required Policy, Law and Institutional Provision, Current Situation, Opportunity, Challenges and Possibility on the Promotion of EV in Nepal”, was prepared by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

It states that Nepal’s poor road conditions remain one of the biggest obstacles to EV adoption. The International Roughness Index, which measures road surface quality, has increased, creating problems for EVs available in the market that generally have low ground clearance.

“The road infrastructure is weak in Nepal. With a 100,000-km road network in the country, most roads are constructed at the local level and do not meet the geometrical parameters set by the Nepal Road Standard,” the report said.

Abhishek Karki, founder and CEO of Abhiyantiki, an EV consulting firm, said Nepal’s EV transition must move beyond simply increasing imports.

“One key point is that infrastructure and vehicle policies need to evolve together. If Nepal’s transition to EVs focuses only on increasing imports without planning charging corridors, technical standards, road compatibility, emergency response systems and maintenance ecosystems, inefficiencies may arise in the future,” Karki said.

He said Nepal now needs to focus on building an operationally viable EV ecosystem suited to the country’s geography and transport requirements.

The report noted that charging stations remain concentrated in Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Chitwan, Birgunj and other major cities, making long-distance travel difficult. Technical limitations related to charging capacity, electricity supply and wiring systems are additional concerns.

Battery cost and management are also major issues.

The report said lead-acid batteries used in some EVs have limited working capacity, while lithium-ion batteries, though more efficient, remain expensive. Since batteries account for nearly half the price of an EV, the upfront purchase cost remains high for many consumers.

Although EVs have lower operating costs in the long run, concerns over future battery performance and after-sales management continue to discourage buyers.

Battery degradation is another growing concern. Experts say Nepal’s terrain, frequent fast charging for commercial use, overloading, temperature fluctuations and unstable voltage supply in some areas can reduce battery life if not managed properly.

Karki said Nepal should establish standard battery health assessment protocols, develop certified battery repair and refurbishment systems, and create guidelines for the safe transport and storage of damaged batteries.

The report also highlighted the lack of battery recycling technology and safe disposal systems in Nepal.

Maintenance and servicing infrastructure for EVs remains limited despite the rapid rise in imports.

According to the report, the absence of clear standards regarding infrastructure and manpower requirements for EV importers has led to the entry of companies focused mainly on short-term profit, often at the expense of quality and after-sales support.

As a result, customers frequently face difficulties finding service centres and workshops after purchasing vehicles. Apart from a few established importers, most companies lack authorised service facilities.

The report warned that inadequate technical manpower and poor maintenance systems have increased the risk of accidents.

It added that unless well-equipped workshops are established in a planned manner, attracting public transport operators to adopt EVs will remain difficult. Nepal needs technical training centres, expansion of local workshops and a larger pool of skilled manpower, it said.

“The lack of skilled workers in the EV sector is one of the most significant challenges in Nepal’s e-mobility transition. The speed of EV adoption has outpaced the development of a trained technical workforce,” Karki said.

“EVs are fundamentally different from conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. This means the required skill shift is not merely about upgrading mechanics, but transitioning towards electro-mechanical and diagnostic-driven mobility systems.”

The report said public support for EVs remains strong, particularly due to environmental benefits, but electric mobility in Nepal is still largely concentrated in private vehicles.

Bagmati province has yet to formulate guidelines for registering 14- to 25-seater public EVs. As a result, new vehicles in that category cannot be registered.

Although the government introduced the Environment-Friendly Vehicle and Transport Policy in 2014, implementation has remained weak. The report noted that different ministries and government agencies continue to work separately, leading to duplication of efforts.

Nepal also lacks minimum standards for imported, assembled or domestically produced EVs and charging stations, an issue experts say is especially important for public transport vehicles.

Experts say most EV servicing capabilities are currently concentrated in authorised dealerships and a few urban technical centres. Outside major cities, Nepal still lacks trained technicians, diagnostic equipment, safety infrastructure and standardised repair systems.

Experts say Nepal needs a multi-pronged workforce development strategy to address the gap sustainably.

“Nepal has already shown strong acceptance of EVs. The next phase should focus on building infrastructure, technical capacity, operational sustainability and long-term readiness for large-scale commercial electrification,” Karki said.