Montra Electric, an Indian electric commercial vehicle manufacturer, has entered Nepal as its first international market with the launch of its new generation electric three-wheeler passenger vehicle ‘Super Auto’.

Montra Electric Pvt. Ltd. is the authorized national distributor for Nepal, HIPCO Trading Pvt. Ltd. It has entered the Nepali market. Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Ashish Gajurel launched the first batch of Super Autos in Kathmandu.

According to the company, the engineering development and testing of Super Auto has been done keeping in mind the road, geography and local needs of Nepal. The company claims that the vehicles are designed to be easily operated especially in the hilly and difficult terrain of Nepal.

The Super Auto is powered by a 9kWh battery and a permanent magnetic synchronous motor. It will deliver 60 Newton-meters of torque. On a single charge, it has a maximum range of 150 km and a top speed of 55 km/h.

According to the company, it takes about 4 hours and 30 minutes to fully charge the vehicle. It also has different types of roads and different operating systems that can be used according to the load.

Considering the hilly terrain of Nepal, the Super Auto has the ability to climb up to 32 percent and the system is designed to help them move forward safely after being stopped on the steep slope. Other features include a fully digital suite, comfortable dual-color seats, impressive front windows and roof, ample head and leg space.

According to the company, the use of electric vehicles will help reduce the operating cost of drivers and entrepreneurs. The total ownership cost of drivers and vehicle operators is expected to decrease as fuel and maintenance cost will be less in electric vehicles compared to petrol and diesel.

At a time when electricity production is increasing in Nepal, the expansion of the use of electric vehicles will increase the consumption of electricity produced domestically, help reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and pollution in the transport sector.

The price of Super Auto in Nepal has been fixed at Rs 8,64,900.

Himanshu Golchha, director of HIPCO Trading, said that the expansion of electric vehicles is necessary to reduce the huge expenditure on imported fuel as roads in Nepal are important bases for the country’s economic development. He termed the entry of Super Auto as an important beginning in its journey to reduce dependence on imported fuels and reduce pollution.

Arun Murugappan, Chairman of Montra Electric, said that the collaboration between Nepal’s renewable energy capacity and Montra Electric’s electric transportation technology is natural. According to him, the company’s priority is to develop the product as per the local needs and geography of Nepal.

Mr. Jalaj Gupta, Managing Director of Montra Electric, described the entry into Nepal as an important milestone in the company’s global expansion. He said that the entry of the company will help to expand clean transportation system by utilizing Nepal’s surplus electricity potential.

Siddharth Jajodia, Director of HIPCO Trading, said, “We will expand dealer and service network to provide sales, maintenance, spare parts and customer service across Nepal. He further said that there is a plan to further strengthen Nepal’s electric transportation system by bringing more power generation to Nepal in the coming days.

Montra Electric is India’s 125-year-old electric transport brand under the Murugappa Group. The company manufactures electric three-wheelers, small commercial electric vehicles, electric tractors and medium and large electric commercial vehicles.

With the entry of Super Auto in Nepal, the option of electric vehicles has been added to the passenger three-wheeler sector. The company aims to further strengthen its presence in the electric mobility market along with its expansion in the Nepali market.