CMTA advises the Government on Sustainable Electrification

The Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association (CMTA), the most senior automotive association in South Asia welcomes the government’s view that Electric Vehicles ( EVs) represent the future of mobility, not just in Sri Lanka, but around the world. While the benefits of EVs are very clear in terms of reduced emissions and fuel savings, the CMTA cautions that the transition from internal combustion engines ( ICE) to EVs – commonly referred to as electrification – should be carried out with proper planning and informed decision making, to preserve the interests of the Government, consumers, and the industry.

Being the only association, which has access to global EV manufacturers and represents them in Sri Lanka, the CMTA is concerned whether due diligence has been carried out prior to the re-introduction of EVs to Sri Lanka. In this regard, the association on the advice of global manufacturers has decided to develop a detailed automotive industry roadmap with KPMG, covering among other topics the sustainable introduction of EVs. This roadmap will be presented to the government authorities for expert advisory on the automotive industry.

As per the recommendations of global EV manufacturers, the CMTA has put forward several considerations to policy makers. Firstly, High Voltage (HV) Battery and the power management systems of EVs should be suitable for local climatic conditions as they are highly sensitive and must be adapted by the manufacturer for the specific country/region of use.

Commenting on the timely topic of EVs, the CMTA Chairman, Yasendra Amerasinghe said, “Vehicle electrification if implemented will bode well for a country like Sri Lanka with distances between major towns being within the range of most modern EVs. Electrification is – without a doubt – the future, and we would like to see the authorities taking the necessary steps to create a conducive environment for sustainable electrification.”