Recently, I worked as the data enumerator during the survey of EV promotion conducted by the Clean Energy Nepal (CEN) and Sajha Yatayat on May 10,11 and 13 at Lalitpur Ev stops and stations. The main objective of the survey was to understand the current perspective on EV use, adoption and promotion in Nepal from the community and to build the community based practical approach policies. Where the questionnaire was divided into three groups: EV user, EV owner and Ev driver.
For Ev user, the questionnaire was done voluntary with public, where I experienced most of them are satisfied with using of EV and positive towards its promotion in Nepal. Besides this, they have some concerns like seat comfortability, proper ventilation and inclusive seat availability.
Majorly the questionnaire on the EV driver was done from Sajha Yatayat, Safa tempo and other Ev 2wheelers. Drivers have positive feedback on EV driving as they said that they are getting good source of income, comfortable and easy to drive by female as well and helping in reducing pollution. Behind these they were also concerned about some technical issues like the less height of the bus, good quality of road and availability of maintenance centers with well-trained human resources.
EV owners have positive reviews on using EV as they said that they are getting rid of dependence on fuel and moving towards eco and eco-friendly technology. With all these they also have concern on Battery’s range, life and maintenance; availability of well-trained manpower and centers; availability of parts and good speed control mechanisms. Also, they are suggesting that Nepal must develop own its skilled maintenance center and production of EV parts suitable for Nepal’s geography.
From the diverse groups review, I experienced that Nepalese people are experiencing the need of EV in Nepal and calling for more awareness in local level, locally and geographically suitable designs, expanding the scope of infrastructure, establishing well-trained centers and production with good policy and its implementation for the EV promotion and its sustainability.
One of the initial challenges I faced during the survey was finding the appropriate location and reaching out to the public. Moreover, convincing the people about their consent and participating in surveys was a real challenge to me as many of them are hesitant to be photographed, doubtful about the project, busy with their work or had limited trust and interest in project-based research activities. Sometimes I also face rude behavior from some of the respondents.
In addition, there was a high risk of bias affecting data accuracy as it was challenging to explain certain questions and technical terms to illiterate respondents in a clear and understandable way.
Despite these challenges, I learned to never give up and give my best in every step, remained motivated, and learned to develop effective strategies while overcoming difficulties. Through this survey I got the opportunity to strengthen and sharpen my communication skills and gained insights into the public’s perception with empathy on the problems and concerns they face.
