As consumers express concerns regarding the distribution of funding under the “Bhutan Sustainable Low Emission Urban Transport System” project, concerns regarding the transparency of the EV subsidy program are growing. The program, which sought to replace 300 fuel-powered taxis with electric vehicles, paid out subsidies for all of the vehicles, but 27 have not been delivered, leading to demands for accountability. Since the project’s official closure in 2022, taxi companies have been left in a state of frustration and uncertainty due to persistent problems, such as undelivered vehicles. In order to look into the subsidy payout and deal with the undelivered EVs, DoST is currently obtaining project documentation from PMU. Additionally, the BTA co-guarantees the taxi operators’ loan application with BoB for the EV project.
A cab driver complained about the subsidy’s release process, stating that it was unfair because the money had already been distributed to a particular dealer. The subsidy was made available after the dealer gave their approval and the bank finished verifying the application. The dealer then paid the full sum to the car manufacturer, and the driver paid 10% of the initial cost. The driver was able to take possession of the EV after the bank released 70% of the loan upon the vehicle’s arrival in Bhutan. BTA has been following up with MoIT on the remainder of the subsidy budget for the 27 EV taxis, despite the fact that the case of the 27 undelivered vehicles was only recently brought to light.
