Nepal's EV revolution is real. With zero import duty on electric vehicles and abundant hydropower, the economics are compelling. Kathmandu alone has seen a 300% increase in EV registrations since 2024. But infrastructure hasn't kept pace — until now.
The Challenge
A Nepali EV charging network faces unique challenges:
- Power grid instability — load shedding is mostly gone, but voltage fluctuations are not
- Payment fragmentation — users want eSewa, Khalti, bank transfers, and cash
- Location diversity — chargers in Thamel basements behave differently from highway stations on the Prithvi Highway
- Monitoring — operators need real-time visibility across 50+ stations
What We Built
Growphase designed and deployed a full IoT platform:
- Edge devices at each charging station running custom firmware on ESP32 modules
- MQTT message broker for real-time telemetry (voltage, current, temperature, session data)
- React Native mobile app for users to find chargers, reserve slots, and pay seamlessly
- Admin dashboard with real-time monitoring, revenue analytics, and predictive maintenance alerts
Smart Grid Integration
The clever part: our system integrates with NEA's smart grid pilot. During peak demand, chargers automatically throttle to reduce grid strain. During off-peak (2 AM - 6 AM), they offer discounted rates — incentivizing overnight charging.
Payment Integration
We built a unified payment layer that accepts:
- eSewa and Khalti QR payments
- NPI/NPS bank transfers
- RFID cards for fleet operators
- Subscription plans for daily commuters
Results
The network now serves 50+ charging stations across Kathmandu Valley, with expansion to Pokhara-Lekhnath and Chitwan planned for Q3 2026. Average uptime: 99.2%. User satisfaction: 4.7/5.
