July 3: Sundar Auto Engineering Pvt Ltd, run by Sundar Transport Pvt Ltd, has started converting petrol-powered bikes and scooters into electric vehicles within three hours. If those who want to convert their two-wheelers into electric vehicles, one can visit the office of Sundar Auto Engineering in Dhumbarahi with the bill book and vehicle.  The company will convert it to electric vehicle within three hours after completing necessary processes of documentation.

The company has said that it is preparing to launch a nationwide campaign to convert petroleum-powered bikes and scooters into electric ones. The company says that the number of customers coming to convert bikes and scooters into electric vehicle is increasing.

"We have started converting bikes and scooters into electric vehicles within three hours for immediate service at affordable prices," said Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, chairman of Sundar Auto Engineering. According to him, in the case of scooters and bikes, only Hero brand is being converted into electric-powered vehicles for the time being. He informed that the work of converting the bikes of other companies will be started soon.

"Traveling 20-25 km on petrol-powered bikes and scooters costs 1 liter of fuel, which currently has a market price of Rs 179," Thapa said. According to the company, around Rs 171 will be saved for every 20 to 25 km journey using electric vehicle.

The campaign, aimed at reducing the use of petroleum products, has already started in Kathmandu and Butwal and will soon be extended to Dhalkebar and Narayangarh, the company said. According to the company, it costs up to Rs 100,000 to convert bikes and scooters into electric ones. The company has been converting 10 to 15 two-wheelers into electric vehicles daily. So far, more than 2,000 have been converted to electric vehicles, the company said. Chairman Thapa also said that new orders for 823 vehicles have arrived. He informed that four-wheelers will be converted into electric vehicles soon.

The government had published a notice in the Nepal Gazette last April, paving the way for the legalizing conversion of vehicles running on petroleum products. To prepare the technical manpower for this, Sundar Auto has been conducting free training in collaboration with the government and various organizations.