100,000+ EVs, Maybe a Few Hundred Chargers — Is Charging Anxiety the Next EV Problem?

Sri Lanka's EV count has crossed 100,000 this year, according to a National Audit Office report, up from under 13,000 just two years ago. But depending on which network's map you check, the island has somewhere between a hundred and a few hundred public charging points, most clustered around Colombo and the expressways, and regulators only started certifying charging operators in 2025. One side says this is normal for any EV market at this stage — most owners charge overnight at home, and public chargers will catch up as demand justifies the investment. The other side says that's fine if you live in a house in Colombo, but it falls apart fast for apartment dwellers without a dedicated plug, or anyone doing an outstation trip and hoping a fast charger is free and working when they get there. If you're driving an EV outside the Western Province, how do you actually plan around charging — or do you just avoid long trips? And if you're still on petrol or hybrid, is charger scarcity the real reason, or just an excuse? ඔබේ EV එකට චාජ් කරන්න තියෙන පහසුකම් ප්‍රමාණවත්ද, නැත්නම් ගමන් සීමා කරගන්නවද?