Over 55,000 attend NAIMA Nepal Mobility Expo in first two days

KATHMANDU: More than 55,000 people visited the NAIMA Nepal Mobility Expo 2026 in its first two days at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu.

The event, organised by the Nepal Automobile Importers and Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), drew crowds on its second day after a busy opening on Tuesday, with strong participation and high vehicle booking numbers.

Attendance exceeded 29,000 on the opening day and topped 26,000 on Wednesday, bringing the two‑day total to more than 55,000. NAIMA expect total attendance to reach about 150,000 over the six‑day expo, which will run until August 16.

Participating companies reported balanced interest in both high‑end and affordable cars, as well as motorcycles. Visitors engaged actively with exhibitors to inspect vehicle features, focusing on battery capacity, motor performance, driving range and after‑sales service.

To attract buyers, companies, banks and insurance providers are offering promotional incentives, including price discounts, one year’s free insurance, one year’s vehicle tax coverage, free servicing and subsidised low‑interest loans. Product launches continued on Wednesday, with four new models unveiled, adding to the 48 models introduced on Tuesday.

A visitor, Dinesh Maharjan from Dillibazar, who arrived at the venue at 3:00 pm, said the expo offered a good chance to find a car within budget. “I was thinking of buying a car by taking advantage of the NAIMA Expo,” he said. “Seeing vehicles from many brands with attractive prices and features, it is quite difficult to choose. From 11:30 am until now, I have probably stepped into 18 to 20 vehicles.”

The second edition of the expo aims to promote sustainable, green and technology-friendly transport systems in Nepal, featuring new electric cars, e-scooters, electric commercial vehicles and debuting global brands.

Alongside the exhibition, the NAIMA Mobility Dialogue brought together local and international experts. Wednesday’s session, “Mobility: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” drew more than 300 participants. Speakers included Ashish Gajurel, Member of the House of Representatives (HoR) and Chairperson of the Infrastructure Development Committee; SSP Suresh Prasad Kaphle, Chief of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office; Saroj Sitoula, President of Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE); Anukul Nidhi, traffic and transport engineer and expert adviser to the Ministry of Infrastructure Development; and Dhruva Bahadur Thapa, former President of NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal. The session was moderated by journalist Tikaram Yatri. Earlier, on Tuesday, a panel discussed “Investment and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Mobilising — Fuel for Economic Growth.”

Global IME Bank is the co‑sponsor of the expo, with Red Bull as the powered‑by partner. NMB Bank and Siddhartha Bank are banking partners, while Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company (SALICO) and NLG Insurance Company are insurance partners. Other partners supporting the event include BOSCH, Global College, Embark College, Agni Energy, Agile Engineering Solutions, Pathao Nepal, Aqua Minerals Aqua Hundred, The Soaltee Kathmandu, Grande International Hospital, Vatsal Impex Hikvision, Hitco, IME Khalti, UnionPay, Pioneer Event Management and Media Network, Digipal Solutions, ATS Nepal, Media Space Solutions, WorldLink Communications and Profit Media.