Megatech’s Nepal-made Samurai e-rickshaws draw crowd at NAIMA Expo

KATHMANDU: Domestically manufactured electric rickshaws by Megatech Group have emerged as a key attraction at the NAIMA Nepal Mobility Expo 2025, organised by the Nepal Automobile Importers and Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu.

Visitors showed strong interest in Megatech’s Samurai brand, which is designed and produced entirely in Nepal to serve the varied needs of small businesses, farmers and local municipalities. The company exhibited a broad range of models, including the Samurai Load-King, Veggi Close, Foodies, Super Plus, Plus, Plus (Base), Chicken Cart, Iwa, Xtreme, Power Plus and Veggi Open. These vehicles are intended for tasks such as school transport, selling vegetables and poultry, waste collection and garden watering, offering affordable and sustainable mobility solutions for Nepali roads.

Megatech manufactures the vehicles at its facility in Budhiganga, Morang. According to Managing Director Suresh Lohani, the rickshaws are built with local terrain and market conditions in mind. “We have created these rickshaws by understanding the needs of Nepali roads and markets. These vehicles make it easy for small business owners, farmers and municipalities to work, and they also protect the environment,” he said.

The company produces batteries and metal components locally, while importing some electronic parts. It has manufactured between 900 and 1,000 units to date and can produce 10 to 15 units per day.

The e-rickshaws operate on 4–5 lead-acid batteries and are powered by 1,000–1,200 watt motors. They offer load capacities ranging from 800 to 1,380 kilogrammes and power outputs between 1.34 and 2.012 horsepower. Their battery-powered design makes them environmentally friendly, emitting no smoke or pollution.

Expo visitors praised the rickshaws for their robust construction, affordability and multi-purpose functionality. One attendee said, “It makes me proud to see such rickshaws being made in Nepal. These vehicles make our daily work easier and also save us money.”

Each Samurai model is tailored for specific applications. The Load-King is suited for heavy-duty tasks such as waste collection and transporting construction materials. The Veggi Close is designed for vendors selling vegetables and fruits door-to-door, with a closed box to keep goods fresh. The Chicken Cart is intended for poultry and meat sellers, offering a clean and secure mobile sales platform. The Foodies model supports street food businesses with a built-in cooking and serving space.

For passenger and school transport, Megatech offers the Super Plus, Plus and Plus (Base) models, which are equipped to safely carry children and passengers. Specialised models such as the Veggi Open are designed for watering gardens and transporting agricultural goods. Lohani also disclosed plans to introduce a milk transport rickshaw.

Local governments and entrepreneurs have already begun using these rickshaws. Municipalities are employing the Load-King for waste collection, while vendors are utilising the Veggi Close and Chicken Cart models. Schools have adopted the Super Plus and Plus models for student transport, and agricultural businesses are using the Veggi Open for watering and logistics.

Megatech has been promoting domestic manufacturing for 15 years and currently employs 300 people. Its products are distributed through dealers across the country. “Our goal is for the rickshaws made in Nepal to strengthen small business owners and farmers. These rickshaws remove middlemen and provide easy access to the market,” Lohani said.

The company has set competitive prices for its models: the water tanker at Rs 900,000, garbage cart at Rs 650,000, chicken rickshaw at Rs 550,000, school van at Rs 600,000 and vegetable rickshaw at Rs 450,000.

Megatech plans to introduce new models, including the Samurai Iwa, Xtreme and Power Plus, and is working to enhance battery quality and range. “We want every Nepali to use a domestic rickshaw. Our goal is to make Nepal self-reliant in transportation vehicles,” Lohani added.

An entrepreneur attending the expo said, “Megatech’s rickshaws have inspired small business owners to dream big. This domestic product has made us proud.”

As Megatech’s Samurai e-rickshaws compete with foreign products at the NAIMA Nepal Mobility Expo, they are proving to be practical, affordable and empowering tools for Nepal’s transportation sector, opening new possibilities for self-reliance and sustainable development.