NEA brings into operation EV charging station; 50 more in the offing

Kathmandu / Aug. 30: An electric-vehicle (EV) charging station built by Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) at Ratnapark, Kathmandu, has come into operation from Tuesday.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Pampha Bhusal inaugurated the charging station on Tuesday. The charging station will be providing services to EVs.

According to the NEA, big vehicles including public buses can get recharged at the cost of Rs 1.20 per unit while the rate of recharging a car is 70 paisa per unit. Similarly, the recharging cost for SUV cars is 80 paisa per unit and that for microbuses is 90 paisa per unit.

In a bid to facilitate the use of EVs, the NEA has been constructing 51 charging stations across the country. Of them, 26 will be fit for recharging big buses, microbuses and pick-ups while the remaining 25 will serve small cars. In addition, the NEA has recently signed agreements with Nepal Police and Armed Police Force to bring the charging stations into operation.

The NEA will also be providing an advance booking system through an online platform to service seekers. Similarly, the motorists can pay by using online payment services via mobile apps. The vehicles can get fully charged between half an hour to one hour of time period.