Surrounded by high mountain ranges, Kathmandu city sits in a bowl-shaped valley, a unique topography that blocks wind and traps pollutants. But the landscape is just part of the larger pollution puzzle. Since the 1990s, the air quality in Kathmandu has been deteriorating, owing to rapid urbanisation and increasing population. Kathmandu is Nepal’s capital and the largest city, accommodating at least 30% of the total urban population. However, over the last decade the air quality deteriorated further, driven by a rising number of vehicles on the streets that contribute to 38% of the total PM10 emissions in the valley. The city’s air quality has also been affected by bad roads, poor transport management and polluting industries. To combat this problem, a ban on polluting three-wheelers was enforced, in combination with a locally produced transport alternative that catapulted the electrification of informal transport.

As a response to rising air pollution, Safa Tempo, a battery-powered three-wheel public transport vehicle, was introduced in Kathmandu in the mid-1990s with the support of the Global Resources Institute (GRI) and the United States Agency of International Development (USAID). Within just three months of the ban on diesel-fuelled Vikram tempos, Safa Tempo manufacturers managed to put together an additional 350 electric vehicles (EVs). By the 2000s, more than 600 of these EVs came to occupy the urban streets. The rising demand for EVs was driven in part by vehicle shortage, but mostly by the entrepreneurial confidence of the private sector in this new technology. Today, a total of 714 public transport EVs are running in the valley. Safa Tempo involves electrifying small diesel cabs and they have been locally manufactured since 1990. The vehicles have been shown to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from 17 to 23 tonnes/day.

Aside from the direct economic benefits of EV production and charging stations, employment generation is the biggest benefit.  According to a report, around 750 jobs were created in charger manufacturing, battery charging stations and EV operations. Additionally, around 600 jobs for drivers have been created. Their promotion creates better outcomes for the environment and boosts the tourism industry. The introduction of Safa Tempos created a path for electric-friendly measures and cultivated a strong local pro-EV population. After the implementation of GRI’s Electric Transportation Program, institutional response followed from private, public, national and international non-governmental organisations to adopt EVs due to the pressing need for environmental protection, and providing incentives for environment-friendly vehicles. The introduction of Safa Tempo also created an opportunity for women to own and drive the three-wheeled EVs through loans, thereby giving them agency to decide their own livelihoods while also providing low-cost public transportation options.

Photo by Ghana Shyam Khadka on Unsplash.