Sri Lanka has asked electric vehicle (EV) owners to avoid charging their cars at night, citing rising demand that is putting pressure on the national power grid and increasing reliance on coal and diesel generation.
Electric vehicles are contributing approximately 300 megawatts of extra demand during night hours, when most users charge after returning home. The surge is requiring authorities to operate all available power generators to meet demand, with a large portion of night-time electricity currently supplied by coal and diesel plants.
The government has encouraged charging during the day, when solar power generation is higher, and plans to introduce new tariffs to discourage night-time charging.
Since lifting a five-year ban on vehicle imports last year, EV usage in Sri Lanka has increased, with more than 10% of new imports being fully electric.
The move comes amid an energy crunch linked to disruptions in fuel supplies from the Middle East. To conserve electricity, the government has implemented fuel rationing and a four-day work week. Sri Lanka has also faced delays in securing crude oil shipments and is seeking alternative supplies from countries including India and Russia.
The impact of these measures was visible with reduced traffic and lower activity at public transport hubs, as schools, government offices, and banks remained closed to save energy.
Click Here to get the latest EV news and exclusive updates from EV Mechanica on WhatsApp!