The Nepal Weekly 
November 25, 2025
One of the innovator Kiran Raj Joshi with converted car around 25 years back
Those who favour electric vehicles to see more and more in Nepal for the benefits of environmental cause, health cause and replacing use of fossil fuel are now tired of asking government to roll back the decision of tax hike on importing of EVs.They are now looking for alternatives. So far the government did not produce any symptom to support the promotion of EVs keeping in view multiple benefits. People doubt it is not only coronavirus pandemic for the government to take such a downhill step to crush the beautiful opportunity which could bring economic prosperity to the country. People now have to forget the assurances mentioned in the planning and speeches of the responsible leaders on promotion of electric transportation by using the electricity generated in the country which needs a big market to consume.
Some serious people, now, started thinking on conversion of internal combustion engine (those run by fossil fuel) to be powered by battery packs to run the vehicles. This technology is not a new but the components available for conversion rather handy than earlier and available in a set from many years back. This is an alternative measure for vehicles to run by electricity.
Conversion of fossil fuel run vehicles to run by electricity is not a new landmark for Nepal. It was done first done 30 years back by Bhai Raja Sthapit as an alternative to face fuel shortage due to blockade imposed by India. However, after fuel available normally and people forgot that the technology might be useful in future. Later a Volkswagen Beetle car was converted by Kiran Raj Joshi, Bikas Pandey, Sanjiv Rajbhandari and Girish Kharel in around 1994 that served years plying in Kathmandu. Likewise Umesh Raj Shrestha converted a small Mitsubishi Van to run by battery to gather government attraction on legal provisions in favour of converting ICEVs to EVs. These days, the National Innovation Centre established in initiation of Mahabir Pun for research, development, innovation and capacity building has been putting effort to convert one such vehicle to demonstrate the government and concerned institutions to prove legal grounds for conversion as a method benefit and utilise the old vehicles where import of new vehicles may be reduced by using old ones with converted benefits. In 2020, Santosh Praja, a youth technician of Chitwan converted a Malaysia made small car to run by battery. Though there are some rooms to improve the work done is appreciable. He and the team is planning to convert medium size passenger vehicles as well.
Basically, electric conversion involves removing the entire internal combustion engine (ICE) from a vehicle, installing an electric motor in its place, and also adding a large bank of batteries. But, for all this expense, the user will get a zero-emissions vehicle that costs only a few rupees per kilometre to run. The EV will also be more reliable and require much less maintenance that a conventional one. Electric cars are more reliable overall because there are fewer parts to fail. Most of the components are solid-state electronics with no moving parts.
There are two types of electric conversions kits available in the international market, they are custom kits that are tailored to a specific vehicles models, and universal kits that can be installed in a variety of vehicles. Universal kits contain all the essential drive-system components but rely on the builder to create custom parts like battery racks or boxes. Custom kits include the entire drive system and battery racks and boxes, customized to suit a particular model.
EV enthusiasts usually favour smaller and lighter vehicles for conversion, especially older models with fewer features that add excess weight. They will afford a longer range on a charge and livelier acceleration than bigger and heavier rides because it takes less energy to propel a lighter vehicle.
The first step in converting a conventional vehicle into an electric car is to strip it of all ICE-related hardware, including the engine, fuel tank, muffler, exhaust, starter, and radiator. They will be replaced by myriad components, the most significant of which is the electric motor. It is most typically a DC unit, though an AC system is said to be a better choice. The size of the motor used will depend largely on the vehicle’s size and weight, and the owner’s preferences with regard to performance.
How many batteries or capacity of the battery needed will depend on the vehicle and the space available in which to have them fitted. Lead acid batteries can work but such batteries are weighty and occupy bigger space. In addition life is short relatively. More to add is recycling of ULAB (used lead acid batteries) is available in only at a nominal scale and the acid the garbage collectors throw haphazardly anywhere is an environmental risk. Therefore Lithium Ion Phosphate batteries are preferred around the world. They are light in weight, smaller in volume, serve longer and there is no-risk of environmental damage.
Although the policy on environment friendly vehicle and transportation endorsed by the Government Nepal (Batawaran Maitree Sawaritatha Yatayat Neeti 2071) mentions conversion will be allowed. But concerned ministry so far could not pay due attention on it to happen.The legal provision for conversion of vehicles to electric drive is still in a pending stage. Thus, some enthusiastic entrepreneurs to start service of conversion did not see any scope to contribute to the country in this respect so far. The Federal Government Ministry, recently, had published an advertisement saying the government will be operating electric buses in the capital city Kathmandu and other major cities soon and interested manufacturers and suppliers are requested to provide required information to the ministry.
The Bagmati Province Government had issued a circulation in its Gadget last year in October mentioning that the vehicle not more than 7 years old may be permitted to convert its basic structure. This provision reflects to be guided by ‘not to let work’ intention. So the Federal Government and Provincial Governments must consider formulating practicable policies and legal provisions which are environment friendly and supporting to national economy.
This will be really interesting to calculate what pays back to the users and the country in terms of environment and economy if fossil fuel run vehicles which are 15 or more year old but serving well were converted to electric drive and serves for at least 10 years to come. The authorities should keep in mind that the country had promised attractive and catchy says in the global environment and climate forums mentioning promotion of EVs as one of the measures to be taken in Nepal to contribute environment and climate issues to handle well. (This write up was published on 23 June 2020 in The Nepal Weekly)
