Yatri Motorcycles, a startup, is launching sleek e-motorbikes in Nepal with the belief that they can help convert people to electric vehicles. The company aims to help clean up the country's polluted air, save money, reduce petrol imports, and contribute to achieving climate goals. Founder Ashim Pandey stated that it is inevitable that battery technology will eventually make internal combustion engines obsolete. Many countries are working on developing affordable, low-emission vehicles in response to the growing threat of global warming. Despite Nepal's pledge in the 2015 Paris Agreement to have 20% electric vehicles by 2020, they currently only have 1%, according to the Climate Action Tracker website. Nepal, despite being a small contributor to global carbon emissions, is experiencing a rise in emissions due to increased imports of petrol and diesel vehicles and fossil fuel consumption. The government has ambitious plans to transition to electric vehicles by reducing taxes and customs duties on imports and increasing the number of charging stations. However, progress has been slow, even though there is a commitment to have electric vehicles make up 90% of all private passenger vehicle sales by 2030. Currently, Nepal has approximately 700 electric cars, 5,000 electric scooters, and 40,000 electric rickshaws, according to the Electric Vehicle Association of Nepal. WORLD-CLASS Yatri Motorcycles was established in 2017 with the goal of creating high-quality electric vehicles in Nepal. Pandey stated that they are exploring markets outside of Nepal and aiming to export advanced technology and capital goods instead of traditional handicrafts. Pandey, who studied aerospace engineering in The Netherlands and designed hydrogen-powered race cars at Delft University of Technology, has an ambitious 10-year plan. In 2019, he launched Project Zero, a premium motorbike with various modern features such as a digital dashboard, 4G connectivity, keyless start, a range of 240km, and a maximum speed of 140km/h that can recharge in two hours. It surpasses most two-wheelers currently on the market, which are manufactured in China and India, offering greater range and speed. However, it comes at a higher cost of almost 2,000,000 Nepalese rupees ($16,797) - nearly seven times the price of a petrol motorbike. Yatri recently introduced a more budget-friendly option, Project One, priced at 500,000 rupees, which garnered 50 orders in just one week. According to Pandey, the initial price is expected to decrease as production scales up. Yatri is on track to achieve their goal of selling 200 units in 2021. Motorcycles play a crucial role in the transition to electric vehicles in Nepal, as they constitute 80% of registered vehicles and offer commuters a more affordable alternative to the overcrowded and chaotic public buses. E-motorbikes alone cannot reduce carbon emissions in Nepal's transportation sector, as trucks, cars, vans, and buses are the top three emitters according to government figures. Yatri's long-term aim is to introduce e-vans and e-buses for fleet operators by the end of the decade to address this issue. The key to solving urban mobility challenges lies in creating a safe, comfortable, and attractive public transportation system that efficiently utilizes space. Nepal has a history of trying out e-vehicles, such as trolleybuses from China in the 1970s and Safa Tempos from the USAID in the 1990s. However, the electric buses failed due to mismanagement and the Safa Tempos lost out to diesel vehicles because of their inefficient batteries. The government plans to reintroduce electric vehicles with the purchase of 300 electric buses. A key challenge in increasing e-vehicle sales is the lack of charging stations, according to Manish Pandey, a popular YouTuber who travels around Nepal on a motorbike. Pandey had planned to film a long-distance trip on an e-scooter six months ago, but had to cancel due to the lack of charging stations. He mentioned that there were no charging stations along the route and the limited range of electric vehicles prevented him from finishing the journey. He stated that due to the current lack of charging stations, he would not opt for an electric motorbike. He also highlighted the high cost of the vehicles as a significant barrier to persuading regular motorcyclists to switch to environmentally friendly options. He added that in a country like Nepal with limited environmental awareness and financial resources, the price of the vehicle is often prioritized over its eco-friendly technology.