NEA has brought into operation 51 electric charging stations in Nepal. Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet and Secretary Dinesh Kumar Ghimire jointly inaugurated the fast charging station established at Nepal Police Club Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu.
The authority established 50 EV (Electric Vehicle) chargers at 32 separate spots along the major highways last year. As per the news, all of those electric charging stations have now come into function.
One of the major reasons people have chosen to stay away from EVs is the lack of charging convenience. That concern can now gradually subside for many as NEA’s project would cover long-distance EV riders/drivers across the highways.
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Charging Stations Along the Highways
NEA installed charging stations along the highways to make them accessible to possibly every EV owner. As per the plan, the authority set up 5 charging stations in each province. Kathmandu has 10 and the remaining five have been allocated as per the need.
NEA has determined the charging spots in the designated areas. The authority has reached an agreement for the procurement of charging machines. Currently, it is connected to connect the charging points to establish electricity.
Some stations will require cables up to 200 meters which will require up to 6 utility poles. Some stations will have the capacity to charge 3 and others 6 vehicles simultaneously. Under this project, the East-West Highway, Prithvi Highway, BP Highway, and Madan Bhandari Highway among others will have charging stations set up.
Asian Development Bank has extended financial support for this project. Each charging station will cost Rs 80 lakh.
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Full Charge Won’t Take Long
NEA Spokesman said that the EVs won’t take long to fully charge with their charging stations. He informed that their charging stations can charge an electric car within 30 minutes. Meanwhile, a bus will take an hour for a complete charge.
NEA is installing one transformer of 100 KW capacities for each charging station for their power needs.
If charging stations along the highways are not enough, then mobile booking and payment will be more delightful for EV owners. Users can pay for charging using the NEA Charge app.
EV Riders can book their preferred charging stations and also pay online on their smartphone. Restaurants will be set up at the charging stations for snacks, and meals for the riders.
All 51 charging stations will be operated from a control center in Kathmandu.
