KATHMANDU: The government has prioritized electric vehicles (EVs) through tax incentives, but the benefits have mainly gone to private vehicles, according to Rajiv Pokharel, Director General of the Department of Transport Management.
Speaking at a discussion program on Sunday marking 50 years of trolleybus service in Nepal and the future of electric transport, Pokharel said EVs have failed to gain priority in public transportation.
He said tax exemptions have worked well for private EVs. However, electric public transport has not benefited in the same way. “What we actually need is electric public transport,” he said. “An electric bus costs more than Rs 10 million. Making it affordable is our main challenge, and we need to work more on this.”
Pokharel added that there is no alternative to electric mobility in the future. He said the government is holding regular discussions with stakeholders on further studies and the digitalization of public vehicles. “EVs will eventually replace diesel and petrol vehicles,” he said.
He also said there are plans to make transport management in the capital more effective through electric vehicles.
Pokharel pointed out that the transport sector remains poorly managed due to the lack of coordination among concerned agencies. With transport-related powers now under provincial governments, each province is working in its own way.
“We have formed the Valley Authority, which works separately. The Department of Roads works in its own way. Traffic Police and Sajha Yatayat also operate independently,” he said. “Because we lack an integrated approach, the transport sector does not appear well managed.”
Most speakers at the program stressed the need to gradually replace fuel-powered vehicles and move forward by promoting large electric public vehicles.
