Nepal's EV Market Just Got 6 New Rivals

Six New Brands Are About to Crowd Nepal's EV Showrooms

Nepal's electric vehicle market is entering its busiest month yet. Between the NAIMA Nepal Mobility Expo (August 11–16) and the NADA Auto Show (August 25–30), both at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu, six new car brands — BAIC, ARCFOX, Chery QQ, Changan Nevo, Jetour, and Hongqi, alongside the lesser-known Lepas — are lining up to enter Nepal for the first time. For a market that already lists close to 200 EV models from 40-plus brands, that's a lot of new metal chasing the same buyers. But here is what most coverage of this rush has skipped: not all six of these new EV brands are actually electric, and the ones that are will land squarely inside Nepal's new value-based CIIF tax bands. This guide sorts out who's electric, who's hybrid, what each is likely to cost, and whether you should wait for the newcomers or buy today.

Quick Snapshot: The Six New Entrants

Which of These New EV Brands Are Actually Electric?

Chery QQ3: The Sharpest New EV of the Bunch

SPG Automobiles — already Nepal's distributor for Omoda, Jaecoo, and iCaur — is bringing the Chery QQ3 EV to NAIMA. It is a compact hatchback built to Australian-market specification, running a 41.28 kWh battery for a CLTC-rated 420 km range, with rear-wheel drive and DC fast charging that takes the pack from 30% to 80% in as little as 16.5 minutes. That charging speed is genuinely competitive for a city car. SPG had not confirmed Nepal pricing as this article went live — expect that reveal at the NAIMA stall in the second week of August.

BAIC BJ30e: Don't Call It an EV

Laxmi e-Mobility, which holds distribution rights for both BAIC and ARCFOX in Nepal, is launching the BAIC BJ30e at NAIMA — but it is a strong-hybrid off-roader pairing a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with an electric motor, not a plug-in EV. If you are specifically shopping electric, treat this one as cross-shopping context only, not a spot on your EV shortlist.

Changan Nevo: A New Badge, Not a New Company

Changan already sells EVs in Nepal through its Deepal sub-brand, with a compact model priced from NPR 22.96 lakh (28.08 kWh battery, 301 km claimed range) via MAW Vriddhi AutoCorp. Nevo is Changan's other EV-focused badge, known abroad for the A06 and A07 electric sedans, and MAW Vriddhi is expected to bring it to Nepali buyers this expo season. Existing Deepal pricing offers a rough sense of where Nevo could land, though official Nepal specs and price are still pending.

Jetour, Hongqi, and Lepas: Confirmed to Arrive, Not Confirmed to Be Electric

Laxmi Group has confirmed Jetour — Chery Holding's premium SUV marque — is coming to Nepal, but has not named the model. Hongqi, China's state-linked luxury marque, and the little-known Lepas are both reported as "planning to start sales" without a confirmed distributor, model, or electric powertrain yet. Treat these three as names to watch, not vehicles to budget for this year.

What the New CIIF Tax Means for These EV Newcomers

Every one of these new EV brands lands inside the tax structure Nepal introduced in the FY 2026/27 budget, which replaced the old motor-power-based excise duty with a value-based Clean Infrastructure Investment Fee (CIIF):

A city hatchback like the Chery QQ3 should sit comfortably in the lowest bracket, keeping its landed price close to factory cost. Changan Nevo's sedans, depending on trim, risk crossing into the steeper NPR 20–30 lakh band, where the CIIF jump to 20 percent bites hardest — exactly the segment dealer groups have flagged as Nepal's most price-sensitive. The BAIC BJ30e, being a hybrid rather than a full EV, is taxed under a separate and generally higher vehicle category, one more reason not to confuse it with the electric newcomers on this list.

Should You Wait for the Newcomers, or Buy Now?

• If you want a proven ownership experience: brands like BYD, MG, Tata, and Dongfeng already have service networks, spare-parts stock, and resale history in Nepal. A brand-new entrant has none of that yet, and Kathmandu's NEA and private DC fast-chargers haven't been tested with these models.
• If you're budget-conscious and can wait two weeks: the Chery QQ3's specs suggest it could undercut several existing hatchback-class EVs — worth holding out for the NAIMA price reveal before committing elsewhere in that segment.
• If off-road capability matters more than going fully electric: the BJ30e is worth a look, but go in knowing it's a hybrid, so it won't qualify for any EV-specific incentive or the lower CIIF bands above.
• If you're eyeing Jetour, Hongqi, or Lepas: there's nothing to compare yet. Revisit after NAIMA and NADA confirm models and pricing.

Where to See Them First

NAIMA Nepal Mobility Expo runs August 11–16 at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, with more than 55 brands and 40-plus new product launches expected, including BAIC, ARCFOX, and Chery QQ. NADA Auto Show follows August 25–30 at the same venue, with brands including Tata, Deepal, Dongfeng, Avatr, Aion, Xpeng, and Geely confirmed. If Changan Nevo, Jetour, or Hongqi make a Nepal appearance this month, one of these two shows is where it will happen.

The Bottom Line

These six new EV brands sound like six new choices, but only two — Chery QQ and ARCFOX — are confirmed as real electric vehicles today, with Changan Nevo a likely third once MAW Vriddhi finalises its Nepal lineup. Everything else is either a hybrid wearing EV-adjacent branding or a name without a car attached to it yet. Before the expo-season hype sweeps you up, compare any newcomer against Nepal's existing EV lineup on real numbers — range, charging speed, and total cost after the new CIIF tax — not just the excitement of a new logo on the showroom floor.

Planning to cross-shop these newcomers against what's already on the road? Run the numbers on BijuliSawari's EV comparison tool and TCO calculator before you commit a booking amount at either expo.