KATHMANDU: Hyundai Creta sales in Nepal have seen a noticeable rise since the start of 2025.
Laxmi Intercontinental Pvt Ltd, the official distributor for Hyundai, kicked off the New Year with a strong promotional push for the Creta EV. Already one of the top-selling compact SUVs in both India and Nepal, the Creta was well-positioned to attract attention in its electric form as well.
Since Chinese EVs dominate Nepal’s electric vehicle market, Hyundai’s earlier EV offerings – the Kona and Ioniq 5 had fallen short of sales expectations. However, growing interest in EVs has helped the Creta EV generate significant buzz in the domestic market.
To support EV users, Hyundai has launched “Relax” Centers under its Charge Shop concept. These facilities offer both DC charging and repair services. According to the company, the name ‘Relax’ combines ‘Recharge and Repair’ (Re) and ‘Lax’, a nod to Laxmi Intercontinental.
In late March, Laxmi Intercontinental simultaneously launched the Creta Electric and the locally assembled ICE variant of Creta in the Nepali market. Roughly 60 days after the launch, Laxmi Intercontinental is seeing Creta sales picking up.
While official numbers have not been released, dealers estimate that around 300 units have been sold so far, with petrol models slightly outselling the EV. An estimated 200 units of the Creta EV have been sold so far.
One major reason for the petrol Creta’s popularity is the price drop due to local assembly. According to the company, local assembly has brought down the cost of Creta by nearly Rs 900,000. Hyundai Nepal has now started operating its assembly plant at full capacity, suggesting a rising demand for the petrol variant of Creta.
After a relatively quiet presence in 2023 and 2024, Laxmi Hyundai has returned to the market with an active and aggressive promotional campaign. The company recently launched a nationwide ‘Meet and Greet’ program. The event, which was initially held in eastern cities, is gradually moving westward.
These events are designed to engage directly with customers, offering information about vehicle options, the new assembly plant and upcoming services. The Creta EV is also being introduced in major urban centers outside Kathmandu as part of the event.
To support EV users, Hyundai has launched “Relax” Centers under its Charge Shop concept. These facilities offer both DC charging and repair services. According to the company, the name ‘Relax’ combines ‘Recharge and Repair’ (Re) and ‘Lax’, a nod to Laxmi Intercontinental.
So far, Laxmi Intercontinental has already built 17 Relax Centers- five along highways and 12 in key commercial areas.
As Hyundai grows its presence in both the ICE and EV segments, the coming months will show how Nepali consumers are responding to the expanding Creta lineup. Since its launch in 2015, Creta has become the best-selling car in its category. It is also known as the car with one of the highest resale values in Nepal.
