229 EVs worth 680 million were imported in the first three months
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Imports of electric vehicles (EVs) through the Birgunj customs checkpoint have increased sharply in the first three months of the current fiscal year.
According to the data of the Birgunj Customs Office, 229 electric jeeps, cars and vans worth Rs 685 million have been imported from this checkpoint during this period. A revenue of Rs 457.2 million has been collected from their imports.
During the same period of the last fiscal year, only 97 electric jeeps, cars and vans worth Rs 144.9 million were imported from this checkpoint. A revenue of Rs 91.1 million was collected from this checkpoint.
The Birgunj checkpoint is the country's main checkpoint for importing new vehicles. Along with fuel-powered vehicles manufactured in India and third countries, EVs are also entering this checkpoint in significant numbers.
According to Amit Tiwari, Information Officer of the Birgunj Customs Office, in the last three months, the overall increase in EV imports from this checkpoint is due to the increase in imports of EVs of the Opel brand from China and Tesla brand from America.
He said, "Currently, there is a high demand for EVs of these two brands in Nepal." EVs of both these brands are imported into Nepal only through the Birgunj border, so the import of EVs from this border has increased.'
The Sirsia dry port under Birgunj Customs is the largest importer of EVs. However, there is no charging station there yet, which is causing problems for vehicle importers.
The Inter-Modal Transport Development Committee is moving ahead with the construction of a charging station along with other infrastructure expansion in the port premises, informed Kamal Gyawali, head of the committee's Birgunj office. According to him, the process of building a charging station is currently underway.
