Clean Air Network Nepal, Environment And Public Health Organization and Green Youth Network are going to organize an interaction program on July 26th 2007 at ENPHO Hall. All the interested individuals are cordially invited for the program. The detail about program as follows:

Interaction Program:
Topic: "Electric Vehicle: An Alternative for Petroleum Crisis in Nepal"
Speakers: Mr. Bibek Chapagain, Country Representative, Kathmandu Electric Vehicle Alliance (KEVA)
Mr. Umesh Shrestha, President, Electric Vehicle Association Nepal (EVAN)
Date: 26th July, 2007 ( Shrawan 10 2064)
Time: 2:00 pm
Venue: ENPHO-Hall, Thapagaun, Kathmandu

Introduction to topic:

In the recent days, Nepal faced a serious petroleum crisis that resulted havoc among people when Indian Oil Corporation barred Nepal from regular supply of oil on the ground that NOC failed on timely payment of bill owed to IOC. The weakening economic condition of Nepal Oil Corporation and country’s dependency on imported fossil fuel has been attributed for the present crisis. NOC is facing a fate of miserable merchant who buys fuel at higher price and sells at subsidized rate bearing loss. At present, the monthly loss of NOC is about 210 million rupees. Government is spending national income to rescue NOC and provide subsidy for petroleum products. It seems that this vicious circle will continue in the days to come as government is neither daring for price hike in the fear of public protest nor thinking about any other alternatives for fossil fuel. That means the energy security issue of Nepal has emerged as a national agenda that needs serious attention.

Beside economic burden of fossil fuel, Nepal is also bearing environmental cost associated with pollution caused by the use of fossil fuel. Air pollution has become a major problem in Kathmandu, primarily because of the increasing number of vehicles on narrow and congested streets. Over the past years, the number of vehicles in Kathmandu Valley has been increasing at approximately 13 percent per year. Therefore an efficient transport system with clean vehicles is urgently required to combat Kathmandu’s air pollution and Petroleum crises in Nepal. In this context, electric vehicles (EV), which use domestic fuel and has zero emission, has proven to be the one of the most suitable means of transportation in Kathmandu, and there is a clear need to further promote these environment friendly vehicles.

EVs were introduced in Kathmandu in 1975 when the Chinese Government set up the trolley bus system along the 13-km route between Tripureswor and Surya-Binayak. After that, the EV movement took off in 1989, when a fuel crisis resulting from the India imposed trade embargo prompted a group of engineers to find an alternative arrangement for transportation. The group called the Electric Vehicle Development Group converted an old car into an EV in 1992.

In early 1996, a group of Nepali professionals and entrepreneurs bought the 7 EVs and started the first EV Company, Nepal Electrical Vehicle Industry (NEVI), in Kathmandu. Currently, over 600 Safa Tempos are plying on the streets of the valley and there are five EV manufacturers. In the mean time, new generation of EV is coming to cater service fulfilling demand and need of diverse market in terms of sector and geographic.

When we talk about promotion of EV sector in Nepal, few skeptical persons raise following concerns:
· Are EVs technically sound to compete with fossil fuel run vehicles?
· Although EVs are environment friendly, we should not forget about economic part as well. How private sector or individuals can feel secure if they wish to invest for EV?
· Nepal is also facing imbalance in supply and demand of hydropower resulting power shortage during dry season. In such case, how EVs can be projected as viable option?

The interaction program will try to answer these questions. Please come and join the program to know more about the EV sector in Nepal.