Snow and Freezing Cold Slow EV Imports Through Korala

Fresh snowfall and sub-zero temperatures have slowed vehicle imports through the Korala border point in Upper Mustang, now the main route for Nepal’s trade with China. About 1,700 vehicles were waiting for customs clearance on the Nepali side on Thursday, according to Tashi Nurbhu Gurung, chairperson of Lomanthang Rural Municipality.

The disruption matters to buyers because Korala has become the main entry point for electric vehicles from China. A Bhotekoshi flood swept away the Rasuwagadhi border point in late August, and China has kept the Tatopani crossing closed for most of the time since. Gurung said Korala is now the only option for bringing in goods from China.

Heavy snow began falling at the end of October as Cyclone Arnab brought rain and snow to Mustang. The Armed Police Force border outpost at Nhechung reported two to three feet of snow around the border, and vehicle and tourist movement toward Korala was suspended for a time.

The hardest stretch is the road between the customs office at Nhechung and the border, about 14 km apart. Gurung said snow cleared from the road keeps freezing again, and drivers who pushed their vehicles over fresh snow pressed it into ice. Smaller vehicles are having the most difficulty on the slippery surface, and small electric vehicles are still held at the border.

Lomanthang Rural Municipality is leading the clearance with the Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and a bulldozer provided by the local government of Zhongba County in China. District officials said vehicles are moving again, though not easily, and that they plan to keep two bulldozers ready in case of further snowfall.

Temperatures at Korala now range from minus 5 to minus 11 degrees Celsius. Officials have warned that the cold could further disrupt vehicle movement and trade, and security officials said it could make vehicles harder to start. The customs office at Nhechung is also working without a chief and with limited facilities.

This is the second major interruption in weeks. A flood on the Kaligandaki River in late September damaged several sections of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road, which reopened only in October after repairs.

Even with these setbacks, more vehicles have come through Korala this year than last. Armed Police Force Inspector Bishnu Poudel said 7,100 electric vehicles have entered Nepal through Korala so far in fiscal year 2083/84, and 4,437 vehicles have come in since the road reopened. Estimates of how many vehicles are now waiting at the border vary, with one report putting the figure at about 1,500.

Buyers waiting for Chinese-made vehicles should check revised delivery dates with their dealer, as vehicles coming through Korala may take longer while winter conditions last.