Unveiling a New Era at NADA Auto Show 2025

The Deepal eVTOL, branded as a flying taxi, was unveiled at Nepal’s premier automobile showcase—the NADA Auto Show 2025—by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, in the presence of Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel and top executives from MAW Vriddhi Autocorp Tech News Nepalmeronews.comThe Kathmandu Post.

Assembling in Kathmandu only days ahead of the event, the aircraft became the centerpiece of the exhibition, signaling a bold step toward urban air mobility in Nepal The Kathmandu Postnepaldrives.com.

What Makes the Deepal eVTOL Special

• Manufacturer & Collaboration: Developed through a strategic partnership between Changan Automobile (Deepal’s parent company) and autonomous flight pioneer EHang nepaldrives.comMotarTech News Nepal.
  
• Model: EH216-S, a two-seater all-electric aircraft designed for urban air mobility The Kathmandu PostMotar.
  
• Performance Specs:
  
  • Payload capacity: up to 600 kg
    
  • Top speed: 135 km/h
    
  • Flight duration: up to 25 minutes (approx. 30 km range)
    
  • Robust design featuring eight motors—optimizing redundancy and safety even if several fail The Kathmandu PostEkantipur.
    
• Design: Transparent carbon-fiber cabin for panoramic views, fully automated flight without onboard pilot, advanced safety systems The Kathmandu PostEkantipurTech News Nepal.
  

Vision & Implications for Nepal

• Strategic Potential: MAW representatives envision applications in point-to-point travel, tourism, aerial surveys, and emergency services The Kathmandu PostEkantipur.
  
• Crowd-Capturing Presence: The exhibit attracted the largest crowds—especially among Nepali youth—keenly observing, photographing, and engaging with the display The Kathmandu PostEkantipur.
  
• Regulatory & Infrastructure Needs: Experts from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) stressed the importance of establishing charging stations, dedicated air corridors, traffic management systems, and proper regulatory frameworks before operational deployment The Kathmandu Post.
  
• Global Context: This showcase aligns Nepal with global trends in urban air mobility. Automakers like Hyundai and innovators like Uber have previously explored electric flying taxis—though Nepal’s exhibit represents a first-hand public engagement with the technology The Kathmandu Post.
  
• Commercial Outlook: The eVTOL has already seen around 400 units sold in China and is priced around NPR 80 million in Nepal, though retail sales haven’t commenced locally yet The Kathmandu PostEkantipur.
  

A Historic Marker for Nepal

The Deepal eVTOL debut marks Nepal’s first public display of a flying car, spotlighting a possible shift toward sustainable, efficient, and future-forward transport solutions nepaldrives.commeronews.comMotar. MAW Vriddhi Autocorp, a key distributor for Changan, spearheaded its presentation, placing Nepal on the map for next-gen mobility technologies MotarTech News Nepal.