eDrive Nepal, a new ride-sharing service that uses only electric vehicles, launched its operations on Thursday, November 9, 2023. The company is committed to providing safe, affordable, and eco-friendly transportation, and it says its services will appeal to many customers.

eDrive Nepal’s ride-sharing service was inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by UML Parliament member Mahesh Bartaula, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director Kulman Ghising, and Deputy Speaker of Bagmati Province Apsara Chapagain. Chapagain waved a green flag to reflect the eco-friendliness of the company’s EV services.

At the ceremony, Bartaula said that EVs will utilize Nepal’s electricity and help to conserve the environment and save money on fuel imports.

The company has started operations with an investment of Rs 14 crore and will provide ride-sharing/ride-hailing services with electric taxis and scooters. During the inaugural program, 52 electric taxis drove around Tundikhel in Kathmandu.

With its launch, eDrive Nepal has joined the growing number of ride-sharing apps serving Nepal. It will now compete with not just the existing popular ones, but also fresh entrants such as InDrive and Sajilo.

eDrive has already brought 20 electric taxis into operation and will soon add 100 more. The company plans to procure more four-wheelers in the future, and it will also add other EVs from the market to its lineups. Company Chairman Rajesh Maske said that the main purpose of eDrive is to take customers to their destinations in a safe and efficient manner.

The company maintains that its service fees are “extremely affordable” compared to what is currently available in the market. To make ride-sharing secure, the eDrive Nepal app has a one-time passcode (OTP) feature. A ride-sharing service will only be available when the user’s and the driver’s passcodes match. The company also has its own fast-charging station for its operational EVs.

In addition to ride-sharing, the eDrive Nepal app will also provide Nepal Yatra (travel) and Food Delivery services. However, these services may require some time before they are launched commercially for all users.