New Petrol Tuks Banned, Old Ones Must Go Electric — Can Drivers Afford the Swap?

New petrol three-wheelers can no longer be imported — only electric or other alternative-fuel trishaws are allowed in now. For existing petrol tuks, conversion shops (Electrateq's Maradana line is one) have started swapping the engine for an electric motor in a couple of hours, and the permitted vehicle weight was raised from 500kg to 650kg so there's room for the battery pack. Supporters say it's overdue — tuks are a huge share of city noise and exhaust, and no petrol plus lighter servicing pays back the conversion fast for a full-time driver. Critics ask why an owner who already paid tax and duty on a working petrol tuk should now carry a battery bill too, and whether resale value and real-world range hold up once the pack ages. If you've converted, or know a driver who has — what did it actually cost, how's the range in real Colombo traffic, and would you do it again? ඔයාගේ තුන් රෝදේ විදුලියට හරවන එක සල්ලිවලින් සාධාරණද?