When I was 15 years old, I was super excited to go to Nepal with my family during the Tihar festival. It had been roughly a decade since I got to celebrate Tihar with loved ones.Instead of celebrating with my family and playing cards with my cousins, I was bedridden and unable to talk due to the severe tonsillitis due to the air pollution in Kathmandu.As some of you (SONEUK members)may be aware, during the Dashain-Tihar period, Kathmandu is the least busiest season because lots of people leave the city to go to theirhometowns. The fact that I got ill during this period, when it’s the least busiest, makes me wonder what could’ve been the case if I had gone during the peak time? The main reason this occurred to me was due to the severe air pollution caused by the cars in Nepal. This experience highlighted for me the urgent need for clean air.

I believe that promoting electric vehicles (EVs) could be key solutions to improving air quality in Kathmandu. I strongly advocate for governments and investors to make significant investments in the EV sector. In this article, I will discuss the potential of the EV industry and how it can transform Nepal for the better.
The problem I mentioned above is Air Pollution. Did you know that, according to the World Bank, Nepal's air quality is so hazardous that it is reducing life expectancy by an astounding 3.4 years? A significant cause is Nepal's over-reliance on fossil fuels, especially in the transportation industry. This inevitably generates harmful emissions and releases massive amounts of dangerous pollutants into the atmosphere, leading to residents and visitors of Kathmandu becoming sick. Consequently, tourism in Kathmandu could suffer, since only a few visitors would be willing to risk their health in polluted environment. This would economically harm Nepal. After remittance and agriculture, tourism contributes roughly 8% of Nepal's GDP.

From the points I have mentioned above, you may understand why the EV industry is essential and has the potential to improve air quality. Nepal's hydropower sector is experiencing significant growth. As Nepal becomes less dependent on fossil fuels for clean, renewable power, it reduces oil imports and improves air quality. By powering EVs with hydropower rather than fossil fuels, Nepal can eliminate harmful emissions, moving towards a healthier and more sustainable future.

The government plays a crucial role in advancing the EV industry. For example, in Guangzhou, China, the government has subsidised the cost of EV vehicles, ensured all public transportation is EV, and has also built charging points in parking lots, shopping centres, bus stations, and other public areas. 

The example of Guangzhou, China, clearly highlights that government support is required. This means that for the EV industry to thrive in Nepal, the government of Nepal should create and install battery pods throughout Kathmandu to promote citizens from buying EV vehicles. An EV specialist in Nepal suggests that it is challenging to develop charging pods in Nepal due to the limited space. Nevertheless, the government should create designated charging pods to promote the new trend of EVs! I can’t fail to mention that the Nepal government has already started promoting EVs vehicles as they has made it significantly more affordable. Firstly, they have massively cut import duties and reduced tax to 10%. Furthermore, since ninety percent of electricity in Nepal is generated from clean hydropower, EVs in Nepal are cheaper to operate than imported fuel. These action highlights that the government of Nepal is actively making EVS part of citizen life with the policies in place. I hope it continues on further! 

You may be wondering why I am writing this in a SONEUK article, and what a society like ours needs the information for. The primary reason for this is to initiate discussions on the importance of EVs and collaborate with organisations such as the NEA (Nepal’s Engineering Association) to exert pressure on the government to create infrastructure that supports EVs. As engineers, regardless of our discipline, we work for a better society. I urge everyone in SONEUK to work collectively to create solutions, feasibility reports, and policy recommendations that shape EV's trajectory.

As an engineering student, I have studied various modules that aim for the world to achieve carbon net zero by 2050. With Nepal's abundant natural resources, EVs(powered by hydropower) could be our solution in supporting the global goals.

None of us wants Nepal to be behind global goals in carbon emissions; hence, I firmly believe now is a great time to start making a change!Hence, in the next 10 years, I want Kathmandu to have cleaner air. Additionally, to adhere to the same environmental standards as those in the West and to align with ecological goals. And the first step would be this.

How many lives do we want to lose for CLEAN Energy to be the top priority? Clean energy and clean air will be a great asset to Nepal socially, environmentally, and economically.

This article was part of Society of Nepalese Engineers in UK (SONEUK) Newsletter (Issue 4) on 22nd Sept 2025