Nepal needs 10,000 EV charging stations by 2030, Study suggests

Kathmandu-Nepal will need at least 10,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations nationwide by 2030 to effectively promote electric mobility, according to a study conducted by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development.

The report, titled “Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects for EV Promotion in Nepal,” states that around 1,000 charging stations are currently in operation across the country. However, most of these facilities are concentrated in major urban centers such as Kathmandu, Pokhara and Bharatpur.

The lack of charging infrastructure along highways and in rural and remote areas has emerged as a major obstacle to long-distance travel using electric vehicles, the report noted.

It identified inadequate charging infrastructure, high battery costs, a shortage of skilled manpower and dependence on imported spare parts as key challenges facing the sectorThe government has prioritized electric mobility as part of its strategy to increase domestic consumption of hydropower-generated electricity.

According to a strategy prepared by the Ministry of Energy, charging stations will also be installed at fuel stations, while electric buses are planned to be introduced in major cities.Experts say expanding the use of electric vehicles will be crucial for Nepal to achieve its target of making 90 percent of private vehicles electric by 2030 and attaining net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.