New Petrol Three-Wheelers Are Banned From Import — Will EV Tuks Really Take Over?

Sri Lanka has quietly closed the door on new petrol and diesel three-wheelers. Government policy now allows only electric or alternative-fuel three-wheelers to be imported new, aimed at cutting congestion and pollution, while existing petrol tuks already on the road keep running, and some owners are being offered loans to convert them. Supporters say it's overdue — tuks are everywhere, cheap electric options exist now, and running costs drop fast once you're off petrol. Critics say it ignores reality: charging outside Colombo is patchy, battery life and range are unproven in our heat and traffic, and EV three-wheelers still cost more upfront for a livelihood that runs on tight margins. New drivers who can't afford or trust an EV may just buy older petrol tuks secondhand instead, which does nothing for pollution. Will this policy actually clean up our roads, or just freeze new entrants out of the trade while the old petrol fleet quietly runs for another decade? If you drive or have driven a tuk, what would actually get you to switch — price, range, resale value, something else? ඔබ තුන් රෝද රථයක් පදවනවා නම්, විදුලි එකකට මාරු වෙන්න ඔයාට සැබවින්ම ඕන කරන්නේ මොකක්ද?