Deputy Minister of Energy Arkam Ilyas told Parliament today that the government has launched a major project to develop infrastructure for electric vehicles by introducing charging points at key public locations.
The initiative, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), comes as Sri Lanka saw a surge of electric vehicles entering the country in 2025, with plans to add 5% of these to the government fleet.
Pointing out that it was pointless importing such vehicles if they only charge at night, the Deputy Minister underscored the need for daytime charging facilities.
Charging points are to be established at fuel stations, supermarkets, car parks, office spaces, and hospitals, places where vehicles are typically parked during the day.
Ilyas said the project aims to bridge gaps in EV charging infrastructure and shift between 100–200 megawatts of peak demand to daytime hours, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. (Newswire)