CHITWAN: The need for safer EV charging infrastructure was one of the key topics discussed in MeroAuto Ground Reality with Shyam Regmi, director of Chitwan Wheelers and a businessman involved in the vehicle reconditioning business.
Regmi said Nepal needs to strengthen EV infrastructure, especially for people traveling long distances at night. According to him, charging stations are still not convenient or secure enough for nighttime travel.
“If an EV has only 20 percent battery and you need to drive to Kathmandu at night, can you travel with confidence? The charging infrastructure is still not safe enough,” he said.
Speaking about the growing popularity of electric vehicles, Regmi also pointed to challenges in the used EV market. He said buyers find it difficult to obtain financing even for one-year-old EVs.
“Investment companies do not provide loans, and even banks that previously offered vehicle loans for up to seven years are no longer financing used EV buyers. The government’s goal is to increase EV adoption, but financial institutions are not supporting that goal with additional lending,” he said.
Regmi believes Nepal still has significant work to do before EV adoption can expand smoothly. He stressed that investment in charging infrastructure should grow alongside the shift to electric mobility.
He also said the long-term growth of Nepal’s automobile sector depends on the development of the entire vehicle industry rather than treating EVs and petrol-powered vehicles as competing segments.
The full conversation with Shyam Regmi on Nepal’s automobile industry and the future of EVs is available in the video below.
