Norwegian ambassador Tore Toreng has now got used to the smiles and stares of motorists on his daily commute from Bhaisepati to Kopundole.

Toreng is the first Kathmandu-based ambassador to go electric, and has fitted the Norwegian flag on his tiny battery-driven REVA.

"This is a perfect car for Kathmandu, I take it to most diplomatic receptions, driving around in a gas-guzzling SUV is a waste of money and waste of fuel," says Toreng.

This week, Toreng had the opportunity to show off his REVA to visiting Norwegian Deputy Minister for International Development, Hakon Gulbrandsen. After a test drive, both were happy Kathmandu is the first Norwegian embassy to use a fully-battery operated vehicle.

Norway is one of the world's top five oil exporters, but has laid out a plan to be a carbon neutral country by 2050. Gulbrandsen told Nepali Times: "Electric transport is the best way to address the challenges of climate change, and this car sets a good example."

Toreng, who is returning to Norway later this year, said he is now so hooked on electric cars that he will buy the Norwegian battery vehicle, called 'Think', when he goes back.

REVA's distributors in Nepal, Eco-Vision, have been flooded with orders, but mostly from diplomatic missions and international agencies, which don't have to pay a 140 percent tax. The duty puts the REVA far beyond the reach of most Nepalis.

"We want to promote the REVA as a people's car and hope the new government will have a more enlightened policy on electric vehicles," says Eco-Vision's Jeevan Goff, "in the long run the hefty tax is actually hurting the economy".

In the past four months, Eco-Vision has received 20 orders of the new model REVA-i, and customers include the World Food Programme, the Norwegian Embassy, UNDP, DfID and GTZ. ICIMOD has even installed a solar charger in its parking lot for the two REVAs it owns.

Richard Ragan, the representative in Nepal for the World Food Programme, is also flying the flag on his electric car. WFP has a worldwide policy to reduce its carbon footprint and Ragan is working on running his entire office on solar electricity and to make it paperless. He tried to buy a hybrid Prius when he came to Kathmandu, but Toyota wasn't selling it in Nepal because of the lack of backup. So he bought two REVAs instead.

"We must set an example," Ragan says, "the next step is to convince the government to set up incentives for people to switch to electric and use Nepal's vast renewable energy resource and not be dependent on petroleum imports."

WFP driver Rabi Gautam says he actually finds the REVA easier to manoeuvre on Kathmandu's narrow streets as he takes Ragan for his official meetings and on office errands. "It's like charging your mobile at night, with three hours of charging it takes you 80km which is more than enough," says Gautam.

Kunda Dixit