Demonstration City: Kathmandu
Inform
Knowledge products related to demo activities and e-mobility in general, such as e-buses, vehicle retrofitting, light electric vehicles, urban logistics, charging infrastructure, and vehicle integration, were incorporated into the SOLUTIONSplus online toolbox and shared with the city. These have supported Kathmandu in better understanding technical and planning aspects of the transition to e-mobility, as well as policy approaches.
Inspire
Kathmandu stakeholders benefited from online and on-site trainings. Activities targeted at enhancing knowledge and capabilities of stakeholders related to e-mobility solutions.
In May 2021, a first regional training for Asian cities was conducted, focusing on the contribution of e-mobility and integrated urban mobility planning to achieving the SDGs in Asian cities. Due to travel restrictions, the training was held online. The subsequent, 2nd Asia Regional training in October 2021 consisted of 3 modules: Module 1 provided introductory knowledge about the e-mobility ecosystem and synergies/policy integration with other local concerns, including energy efficiency and conservation, air quality, and public health. Module 2 dived into policies and regulations to promote e-mobility, and Module 3 focused on setting up charging infrastructure, including different kinds of charging, standards and specifications, and operation models.
As a follow up, these topics were deepened in a subsequent Kathmandu-specific training to address local context and challenges. Workshops on ’Business models and financing for the electrification of public transport in Nepal’ and ’Electrifying public transport in Nepal: Highlights on Bus conversion and light electric vehicles’ were held in Kathmandu in November 2022 and April 2024. Participants included government authorities, private sectors, banks and development agencies.
Moreover, the local partner and public transport operator Sajha Yatayat organised e-3 wheelers drivers training for women, and an e-bus technical training in Kathmandu in November and December 2022.
Kathmandu stakeholders benefitted from several peer-to-peer exchanges and trainings on E-buses (organised by UITP in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), on electric two- and three- wheelers (organised by UNEP in Bangkok, Thailand), on e-mobility session at the Better Air Quality conference (organized by CAA in Manila, the Philippines), and on Decarbonising transport in India and the region, (organised by ITF and WI in 2024). In the context of SOLUTIONSplus, Hanoi stakeholders participated in site-visits to Hamburger Hochbahn AG (2022), EMT Madrid (2023) and Kuala Lumpur E-BRT (2023), showcasing e-buses and other e-mobility options.
Initiate
To establish an ecosystem of electric mobility to enhance public transport in Kathmandu, two local start-ups were engaged and received seed funding. Clean Energy International (CEI) supported the development of prototypes for the remodeling of Safa tempos (e-3 wheelers) and converted a mini-truck into an electric vehicle. Shree Eco visionary (SEV) developed prototypes for small electric wheelers with a multi-use concept for passenger and cargo applications, and waste collection. Additionally, the local partner and public transport operator, Sajha Yatayat, converted a diesel bus to an battery electric bus – the first of its kind in Nepal. PEM motion, a German start-up selected from the EU Innovators call, provided support on the structure and design of a cargo vehicle for CEI and an e-shuttle van for SEV.
In an academic collaboration, the Kathmandu demonstration case was also a part of Denmark Technical University (DTU)’s B.Sc. course in June 2021 and February 2022, where students presented concepts on ‘Promotion of e-mobility in the public urban transport of Kathmandu, Nepal’. Students from DTU and from King’s College Kathmandu prepared two studies on the prefeasibility of vehicle integration services in June 2022. DTU M.Sc. Students also worked on the Kathmandu demonstration scaled-up assessment in 2023. A conceptual design proposal was developed as part of an M.Sc. course in Architecture and Urban Design at the Technical University of Berlin, exploring alternatives for the integration of e-mobility in the context of Kathmandu's public spaces and transport system.
Implement
The Kathmandu demonstration initiative is a comprehensive effort aimed at establishing an electric mobility ecosystem to enhance public transport. This multifaceted project encompassed the conversion of a diesel bus into an e-bus, the remodeling of Safa tempos (e-3 wheelers) for passenger and cargo services, the design of an e-shuttle van, and exploring improvements in vehicle integration services, including the introduction of a cashless payment system.
The SOLUTIONSplus project launched the vehicles in a series of releases: The remodelled Safa Tempos for passenger use and a cargo use, as well as the new e-cargo vehicle were manufactured by local companies CEI and SEV, respectively and launched during 2022, while the converted. All of these prototype vehicles are in the stage of test run, and data collection on the users’ and drivers’ perception and technical performance is underway as an ex-ante assessment.
Preliminary Results
Final Results
Impact
To assess the impact of each prototype developed in Kathmandu, a detailed assessment is being conducted. SOLUTIONSplus gathered 14 key stakeholders in November 2022 to advance the impact assessment of selected e-mobility demonstration actions in Kathmandu. This activity should inform and support the scaling up of the EV demonstrations in the city. Nepal’s Department of Transport Management is drafting a policy on vehicle conversion, and Nepal Electricity Authority is developing infrastructure for a public charging system. To complement these activities, SOLUTIONSplus partners developed policy papers on vehicle conversion and charging infrastructure.
SOLUTIONSplus also prepared a contribution on a National Urban Mobility Plan to support integrated sustainable mobility planning in Nepal.
Replication
The project developed and tested the remodeling of ICE vehicles into battery-electric vehicles. The remodeling was conducted through local companies, using imported conversion kits. As ICE vehicles like the Safa Tempo, minibuses or light duty vehicles are abundant in Kathmandu and financial calculations suggest that the conversion are viable, the scaling up of the project is feasible in general. An optimization scenario for Lalitpur community suggested that for a for a budget of EUR € 2 million, a fleet of 25 buses, 20 waste collectors and 30 shuttle vans exhibits the best performance in meeting the stakeholder priorities. Still, the viability of conversions depends on the general state of the individual ICE vehicle basis and enabling economies of scale concerning the purchase price of the imported conversion kits.
Achievements in Kathmandu
The Kathmandu demonstration action aims to create an electric mobility ecosystem to enhance public transport. Achievements include successful completion of converting a diesel bus into an e-bus, remodelling Safa Tempos for passenger and cargo services, small e-cargo vehicle, and converting a petrol mini-truck to electric. The multi-use e-3 wheelers, an e-shuttle van and an e-waste collector add diversity and innovative concepts on replacing ICE vehicles for similar use cases. Local manufacturers, with imported equipment and technical support from national and international experts, carried out these activities.
Impact assessment of all demonstration types and scale-up concept • Policy papers on Charging Infrastructure and Vehicle Conversion & National Urban Mobility Plan • Pre-feasibility assessment for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) implementation in Kathmandu • 2 Asia Regional online trainings & 1 Women driver’s training for e-3 wheeler • 6 Regional and inter-regional peer exchanges via workshops and site visits • 2 Kathmandu Specific training on electrifying public transport and financing • Impact assessment of all demonstration types and scale-up concept • Engagement with University students (DTU and TUB) on innovative e-mobility concepts in Kathmandu
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E-mobility in public transport
In Kathmandu, a demonstration action will contribute to create an ecosystem for electric mobility in Kathmandu by demonstrating different EVs to enhance public transport, as well as suitable charging solutions and related services. It will support the integration of several innovative last-mile solutions such as 30 new and 50 remodelled E-3-wheelers s (for public transport) and 20 E-scooters/e-bikes (provided by the city/ Valeo) with 5 E-minibuses, (e.g. 8-meter length) (co-funded by the city), the buses in use currently and forthcoming E-buses. 2 diesel buses will be converted to E-buses replacing the drive system (motor, transmission and rear axle) and the suitable business model will be developed (IDIADA). The E-buses/E-minibuses and E-3-wheelers (refurbished and new with an innovative Valeo 48V all-electric prototype) are planned to run on the existing routes. As charging infrastructure is poor or non-existent in public, suitable options for charging EVs and batteries will be suggested. E-buses and E-minibuses with Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery large enough to allow for the daily operation (without charging) up to 14 hours will be sought, together with charging strategies such as plug-in overnight charging located in the depot. Several existing E-3-wheelers s will be remodelled - mainly converting lead-acid batteries into Li-ion batteries and refurbishing the chassis, assembling the vehicle parts locally. New E-3-wheelers with Li-ion batteries and fast charging system will be introduced together with innovative business model, such as battery leasing/pay-per-use model. This will provide better services for E-3-wheelers as public transportation in the city. E-scooters/e-bike sharing system, that reduce the dependence on owning private vehicles, will also be sought in the demonstration project with state-of the-art technologies such as GPS positioning, contactless payments and 2 docking stations integrated into charging facilities.
The demonstration also supports promotional activities to raise awareness on EVs, introduce integrated electronic payment system with smart card (in public transport) and smart services for fleet management including an improved information system as well as proper operation and maintenance of vehicles (SOL+ MaaS App). The demonstration will also explore the feasibility to integrate renewables and improve the profitability of the charging business, such as Vehicle to Grid (V2G) applications, and business model on energy integration (Dynniq).
Trends and drivers
With the growing urbanisation and higher incomes, the demand for vehicles is increasing. Vehicle registration – primarily private vehicles - is increasing tremendously, causing air pollution and health impacts. During 1990-2015, the number of total vehicles registration yearly grew by 14% per year (see Figure 1). Within this, during 1990-2014, the number of registered personal cars grew at 11%; the number of two wheelers grew at 12% (Department of Transport Management, 2014). Two-wheelers modal share has risen from 55% in 1991, to over 80% in 2014 (see Figure 2). By 2016, there were a total of 2,339,169 vehicles registered in Nepal. A major share of these vehicles is concentrated in the Kathmandu valley. The number of buses rose from 4000 units in 1990, to more than 35,000 units in 2015. This category includes full size buses, minibuses, microbuses and three-wheeler microbuses, called tempos. However, as a share of the total vehicle fleet, buses have declined from 11% of the total in 1990, to only 3% in 2015 due the rise of private vehicles (GGGI, 2018). According to recent data, the national public and private vehicle fleet, excluding commercial vehicles (like trucks and mini trucks, construction machines), contributes about 4.5 million tonnes CO2 emissions per year, and 1.9 million tonnes in the Kathmandu valley.
The Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu is the country’s capital and the largest city (population of 1 million), followed by Pokhara, Lalitpur, Bharatpur and Birgunj metropolitan cities (population above 200,000). The Kathmandu valley includes 3 cities – Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur with total area of 570 sq. km. The population of the valley is 2.5 million with annual growth rate of 4.63% (3.5 million unofficial). This represents 9.32% of entire population of country. Some of the initiatives on energy generation/conservation, sustainable transport and waste management in the valley are discussed below.
Road transport dominates transport infrastructure in Nepal (cars, bus, motorcycle and marginal non-motorised transport). In the Kathmandu Valley, the number of vehicles registered tremendously rose—an increase of over 12-fold from 45,871 in 1990/1991 to 570,145 in 2010/2011. The highest number of vehicles type in the valley was motorised two-wheelers. Air pollution was the second leading cause of death in one of the main hospitals of the Kathmandu Valley in 2011. To reduce air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley, these 3 measures are urgently required: improving vehicle speed, promoting public transportation, and introducing electric vehicles that could reduce public transportation energy demand by more than 60% (Shrestha, Shrestha, & Shrestha, 2017). Some electric cars and scooters have been introduced in cities. Electrically powered 3 wheeler e-Tuk-Tuk/e-rickshaw (Safa Tempo) is a successful example of public EV in Nepal (e.g. in Kathmandu and in southern part of Nepal), in operation since 1996. Currently, 1,200 e-rickshaws (Safa Tempos) run in Kathmandu (Shahi, 2017). Less than 100 electric cars are in the valley, mainly imported form India, China and South Korea (which is negligible compared to fossil-fueled cars). A few small electric cars are produced in Nepal by Hulas Motor Company as an experiment. Charging infrastructure is in very nascent state in Kathmandu (also in Nepal). Nepal Electrical Authority opened a demo charging station at its office in order to boost public interest in EVs. E-scooters are a solution to replace the growing and highly used fossil fueled scooters in the valley. Public transportation services, currently run by the private sector through individual operators, are still not adequate in the city. The addition of e-bus can improve accessibility and environment.
Sajha Yatayat’s three electric buses in operation in Kathmandu
Sajha Yatayat, a SOLUTIONSplus consortium partner, started the operation of three electric buses in Kathmandu on 7th July 2022. The remaining 37 are planned to arrive in Kathmandu by October 2022. Sajha Yatayat, a cooperative government-owned organization, is able to procure 40 e-buses with the support of NPR. 3 billion (ca. 24 million Euros) from Nepal Government. These buses have 8.5m in length with a driving range of 200 Km in full charge carrying 60 people at a time. Sajha Yatayat is planning to add more electric buses to its fleet in the coming fiscal year which will include 10 to 12m intracity and intercity electric buses.
These e-buses were manufactured in Nanjing, China, customised to suit the demand of Nepalese road conditions. The e-buses have disabled-friendly accessibility, which is rare to find in city public buses in Kathmandu. To run the e-buses, Sajha Yatayat gives priority to female drivers.
These buses underwent three phases of testing and quality check viz. roadworthiness test, visual inspection, and range test before it was accepted for public use. These tests were performed by engineers from the government and Sajha Yatayat. Besides retrofitting an old diesel bus into an electric bus, our SOLUTIONSplus team at Kathmandu is also supporting Sajha Yatyat in the procurement and quality checking of new electric buses. Our SOLUTIONSplus team Gaurab Raj Pandey and Abhisek Karki were an integral part of the inspection committee.With the operation of the remaining 37 electric buses in its fleet, Sajha Yatayat will be the largest electric bus operator in Nepal. Hopefully, with the addition of more electric buses coming year, Sajha Yatayat will have its legacy back being the largest public transportation company in Nepal. Additionally, this helps Nepal’s economy by reducing the import of diesel and increasing the internal consumption of electricity. This not only reduces trade deficits but also helps to achieve the net-zero carbon target by 2050 as mentioned in Nationally Determined Contribution.
Written by:
Shritu Shrestha, Wuppertal Institute
Gaurab Raj Pandey, Sajha Yatayat