NEVI (Nepal Electric Vehicle Industry Research and Innovation Pvt. Ltd.) is Nepal’s pioneering electric-vehicle manufacturer and operator. For nearly three decades, the company has been at the centre of Kathmandu’s clean-transport story. It developed and runs the iconic Safa Tempo three-wheelers. Alongside this, NEVI has built the charging infrastructure, technical skills and operational know-how that keep them on the road.

Today, NEVI is expanding from vehicles into batteries, training and fleet support. As a result, thousands of daily passengers move through Nepal’s cities with lower emissions. This also reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Our partnership with NEVI on Project GANESHA builds directly on this foundation. Global Solutions brings modular battery-pack platforms, data-led planning and investment frameworks. In turn, NEVI brings manufacturing capacity, Safa Tempo fleets and on-the-ground operations. They also bring a deep understanding of Nepal’s mobility ecosystem. Together, we are building a model for clean, locally powered urban transport. The aim is for this to scale across routes, cities and, over time, other regions.

Find out more about NEVI’s wider work on their website: nepalelectricvehicle.com.

Meet the NEVI Team

Management and Engineering

Lobsang Lama

Founding Member & Managing Director, NEVI / Strategic Partner, Project GANESHA

Lobsang Lama is a founding member of the Nepal Electric Vehicle Industry (NEVI). He currently serves as its Managing Director and Chairman. He helped establish NEVI in the mid-1990s as the first private company to operate electric three-wheelers in Nepal. In doing so, he acquired and improved the original Safa Tempo prototypes. He then launched the initial demonstration fleet in Kathmandu. Under his leadership, NEVI has manufactured more than 350 Safa Tempos. Today, the company supports a fleet of around 650 vehicles across the Kathmandu Valley. This is backed by a dedicated network of charging stations.

Over nearly four decades as an entrepreneur, Lobsang has founded and led multiple ventures. These span manufacturing, education and agriculture. Throughout this time, he has remained closely involved in youth and women’s empowerment initiatives in Nepal. More recently, he has driven NEVI’s shift from lead-acid systems to advanced lithium-iron phosphate batteries. He also formalised the company’s evolution into Nepal Electric Vehicle Industry Research and Innovation Pvt. Ltd. This positions NEVI as a platform for ongoing R&D, training and commercial deployment.

Role on project GANESHA

For Project GANESHA, Lobsang is a strategic partner to Global Solutions. He sits at the intersection of governance, capital and industrial capability. In this role, he oversees the development of new modular battery platforms, manufacturing investments and NEVI fleet projects. His role is to ensure that decisions on technology, factories and routes are grounded in real operational data. This draws on NEVI’s decades of experience in the field. As a result, GANESHA can move from pilots to bankable, scalable assets rather than remaining a one-off project.

Lobsang views the collaboration with Global Solutions and Innovate UK as a significant opportunity. Together, the aim is to develop a model for clean, locally powered urban transport. This model is designed to meet investor expectations while maintaining value in Nepal. The goal is to combine NEVI’s track record with Global Solutions’ system design and programme structures. Together, this creates a framework designed to attract disciplined capital and support future EV and battery investments. It also aims to deliver measurable benefits in jobs, air quality and energy independence for the communities NEVI serves.

Tenphel Z Lama

Managing Director, NEVI

Tenphel Z Lama is Managing Director of NEVI. He is also a core leadership partner for Global Solutions on Project GANESHA. He serves as Managing Director of Hotel Tibet International and owner of Dusit Princess Hotel. This blend of manufacturing, mobility and hospitality experience informs his approach to Nepal’s evolving clean-energy ecosystem.

Under his family’s leadership, their group of companies spans multiple industries. Together, they have played a significant role in the Nepalese economy. Notably, the Chairman and Chairwoman hold a unique distinction in Nepal. They were the first couple to each receive the Commercially Important Person (CIP) award from the President. Each award was granted through a separate company, reflecting the group’s long-term investment in national development.

Tenphel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business from Wheaton College, Massachusetts. He also holds a Master’s degree in Hospitality from Boston University. This grounding in economics, business and service operations shapes his approach to leading NEVI. His goal is to build a professional, investor-ready organisation capable of delivering reliable, clean mobility at scale.

Through its partnership with Global Solutions, Tenphel focuses on strengthening institutional frameworks and elevating operational standards. He also works to embed international best practices into NEVI’s work. Together, the aim is to create a model partnership that drives innovation and empowers stakeholders. This means giving them better tools, knowledge and long-term value. In turn, these benefits extend to the communities and industries NEVI serves. He sees Project GANESHA as a platform for Nepalese-led companies to adopt and adapt global standards. For Tenphel, this means keeping impact firmly rooted locally.

Away from work, Tenphel enjoys travelling to new countries to explore different cultures. This curiosity informs how he approaches collaboration and cross-border partnerships.

Visit the NEVI website to explore their clean mobility projects.

Nirsha Shrestha

Finance and Administration Manager

Nirsha Shrestha is the Finance and Administration Manager at NEVI and serves as Manufacturing Site Assistant for Project GANESHA. With an MBA (Master of Business Administration), Nirsha brings together financial discipline and operational detail. She understands the day-to-day realities of running a manufacturing site in Nepal.

NEVI was founded by 28 environmentally conscious professionals with a clear mission. Their aim was to reduce dependence on imported fuels, cut urban pollution and improve public transport. They also sought to create employment through electric mobility.

Over the last 30 years, the company has manufactured more than 400 Safa Tempos. In that time, it has also earned international recognition for reducing air pollution in Kathmandu.

Within this context, Nirsha’s role on Project GANESHA is to align financial, administrative and manufacturing systems. This work supports Global Solutions and NEVI as they scale new battery and EV solutions.

Nirsha supports site-level planning, cost tracking and operational reporting. This ensures that investment decisions are grounded in accurate data. It also keeps the project aligned with its goals for sustainable, self-reliant growth.

Nirsha is particularly motivated by energy-efficient innovation and the adoption of clean energy in manufacturing and operations. She sees the partnership with Global Solutions as a way to combine NEVI’s experience with cutting-edge technology. Together, the aim is to expand EV access beyond major cities. This includes reaching rural and underserved communities across Nepal. For Nirsha, the collaboration is an opportunity to work on high-value projects and share knowledge. She sees it as a way to deliver outcomes that would not be possible alone.

Outside work, Nirsha enjoys reading, volunteering, community service, fitness and meditation. These habits reflect her commitment to both personal well-being and positive social impact.

Dharma Kumar Shrestha

General Manager

Dharma Kumar Shrestha is the General Manager at NEVI and the Assistant Project Manager for Project GANESHA. With an MPSS (Master’s Programme in Sports Science), he brings leadership and a performance mindset to his role. He also has hands-on operational experience in NEVI’s clean-transport work.

As General Manager, Dharma oversees day-to-day operations across NEVI’s activities. This spans manufacturing and maintenance through to staff management and service quality. He is closely involved in the Safa Tempo fleet and wider EV operations. His focus is on ensuring that vehicles, charging infrastructure and teams perform reliably. This matters particularly in the demanding conditions of urban Nepal.

On Project GANESHA, Dharma’s role is to help Global Solutions’ system design land cleanly inside NEVI’s real-world operations. He supports project planning, site coordination and implementation. His focus is on ensuring new battery systems, processes and standards can be adopted without disrupting existing services. For Dharma, the partnership is a way to leverage NEVI’s decades of experience. The aim is to match this with Global Solutions’ technology, data and programme structures. Together, this can help EV adoption move from a handful of routes to a joined-up network. In turn, that network can reach more communities.

Dharma is particularly motivated by energy-efficient practices and the wider goal of sustainable development. He sees GANESHA as an opportunity to prove that Nepal’s move to electric mobility can support self-reliant growth. For Dharma, this means more than just cleaner streets. Working with Global Solutions, he is focused on building a collaborative model. The aim is to raise operational standards and create new skills and jobs. This delivers long-term value for the people who rely on public transport every day.

Outside work, he enjoys sports, volunteering, community service and fitness. This personal commitment mirrors his belief in healthy, resilient communities.

Pasang Temba Sherpa

Electrical Engineer

Pasang Temba Sherpa is an Electrical Engineer at NEVI and a member of the technical team supporting Project GANESHA.

His work focuses on electric three-wheelers (Safa Tempos) and battery systems. He also works on the wider electrical infrastructure that keeps clean transport running reliably in Nepal’s conditions.

NEVI was founded in 1996 as the first company in Nepal to manufacture and assemble electric three-wheelers. Since then, it has continued to develop battery systems, including lithium-based packs tailored to local needs.

Pasang contributes to this through the design, improvement and integration of battery and charging solutions. The focus is on systems that can operate safely and efficiently in demanding urban and peri-urban environments.

Through Project GANESHA, Pasang works with Global Solutions on new modular battery platforms. Together, they align NEVI’s practical experience with smart charging concepts and data-led planning. He sees the partnership as a way to scale Nepal’s transition to clean transportation and renewable energy. For Pasang, this means leveraging advanced technologies, shared research and strategic collaboration. The goal is to accelerate EV adoption in cities and in rural and off-grid communities. These are places where reliable power and transport are harder to secure.

Pasang is deeply interested in renewable energy technologies and smart grid systems that contribute to a more sustainable future. He is passionate about exploring innovative solutions that optimise energy efficiency and promote clean energy adoption. In particular, he wants to support sustainable development in the communities that NEVI and Global Solutions serve.

Outside of work, Pasang enjoys playing football and travelling.

Field Assistants

Ram Jee KARKI

Pilot Sites Field Specialist (GANESHA)

Ram Jee is a Nepalese humanitarian and development specialist working with NEVI on Project GANESHA. With a background in social work, government liaison and relief interventions, he brings extensive experience across international and national NGOs. He is also skilled at translating policy into practical support for communities.

Over his career, Ram Jee has been closely involved in some of Nepal’s most challenging periods. He worked on earthquake response efforts in 2015. For 13 years, he served with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), coordinating relief during Nepal’s armed conflict. He then spent a further nine years supporting Bhutanese refugee assistance in camps and field locations nationwide. Together, this has given him a grounded understanding of how new initiatives affect people’s lives. He knows from experience how programmes play out on the ground.

Academically, he holds an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance (IDHA) from Fordham University in New York. He also holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Development Studies from Kathmandu University. In addition, he has a Master’s degree in Economics from Tribhuvan University. His Bachelor’s degree in Business Management focused on accountancy, taxation and auditing. This mix of humanitarian, economic and management training underpins his approach to development and partnership.

For Ram Jee, partnership is central to effective change. He believes development work is strongest when organisations collaborate around a shared goal. As a result, he has spent his career building relationships with a wide range of community organisations. Within NEVI and Project GANESHA, this perspective helps connect clean mobility and energy initiatives with local priorities. It also ensures they align with existing community structures.

Outside of work, Ram Jee enjoys travelling and has a strong interest in political and development issues. He likes to be involved at the grassroots level, spending time in the field and working directly with communities.

Khakindra Bhandari

Field Assistant, Bardiya (NEVI / Project GANESHA)

Khakindra Bhandari works as a Field Assistant in Bardiya with NEVI on Project GANESHA. She supports field operations, data collection and community coordination. Her work helps ensure decisions are grounded in what is actually happening on the routes and in local communities.

Khakindra is excited to partner with Global Solutions to improve project impact. Together, the aim is to combine local field knowledge with new clean-mobility solutions.

Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, music and learning new things. This curiosity and openness also shapes her approach to her role.