KATHMANDU: Rising petrol prices have pushed customers towards electric scooters, leading to waiting periods of up to one month for popular models in Nepal.
Although electric scooters have been available in Nepal for years, demand remains weak. Sales of two-wheel EVs were far lower than four-wheel EVs. While electric cars had captured around 65 percent market share, electric two-wheelers were below 5 percent.
However, customer interest has surged after petrol prices increased by more than 35 percent in the past one and a half months.
Demand is now high for major brands such as Ather Energy, Bajaj Auto Chetak, TailG and Yadea. Showrooms are seeing heavy footfall, while several models are already sold out.
Dealers say stocks were kept limited earlier due to slow demand. The sudden rise in bookings has now created supply pressure.
According to Salman Khan, Sales Head of Vaidya Energy, demand for other scooters has increased sharply. He said some models now have a waiting period of one month. Customers booking now may receive delivery only after a month.
He added that demand for Ather was already strong before the fuel price hike. The company had received more than 200 bookings on the launch day of the Rizta scooter. Now, all other models are sold out.
Kuzu Nepal, the distributor of Yadea scooters, said only limited units remain in stock. Managing Director Umad Shrestha said the company was surprised by the number of customers switching to EVs.
A similar situation has been seen at Yom Ma E Motors. Operator Sanjeev Silpakar said bookings have reached around 100 units and deliveries may take up to two weeks.
Customers looking to buy Bajaj Auto Chetak scooters are also facing delays of at least 10 days. Sales staff at the Naxal showroom said most display units have already been sold.
Showroom representatives say many customers are even asking to buy test ride scooters due to shortage of stock.
Petrol prices have risen by nearly Rs 60 per liter in the last one and a half months, reaching Rs 217 per liter. As daily commuting costs increase, more buyers are shifting to EVs. Running costs of electric scooters are significantly lower than petrol scooters.
Ram Kumar Koirala from Nuwakot, who was seen at a TailG showroom, said EVs are now the practical option. He said the amount spent on petrol over two years could cover the cost of an electric scooter.
The market is also seeing more scooters with higher range. Expanding charging infrastructure has further encouraged customers to move towards EVs.
