News6 min read
Updated 26 October 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
This week: BYD's Racco EV kei car launched here first outside Japan, RMV's new demerit-point system entered its awareness phase, licence rules for returning diaspora were clarified, Lanka IOC raised Petrol 95, and HNB Finance partnered with Toyota Lanka on leasing.
John Keells CG Auto (JKCG), the local BYD distributor, launched the Racco electric kei car in showrooms in Colombo, Kandy and Galle on the same day, according to economynext.com. Sri Lanka is the first market outside Japan to get the Racco, which debuted in Japan in July. JKCG's introductory price is Rs. 11.45 million, well above Japan's entry price (around Rs. 4.5 million at current exchange rates) because of import duty and currency effects. The car runs a 47 kW electric motor with a claimed WLTC range of 320 km. JKCG says it wants to sell 3,000 units in the next year, building on roughly 15,000 BYD electrified vehicles already on Sri Lankan roads.
Why it matters: Kei-sized cars are already popular here for their low running costs and easy parking, so a factory-new EV in this class gives buyers a new option alongside used imports. Before you commit to Rs. 11.45 million for a brand-new kei EV, compare it against used hybrid and EV listings and run the numbers on /price-check so you know whether you're paying a fair premium for "first in market, straight off the showroom floor." Browse current listings on /vehicles to see what else is on the market at that price point.
Commissioner General of Motor Traffic, retired Air Vice Marshal Thushara Fernando, confirmed this week that the new driving-licence demerit-point system is running as a public-awareness campaign from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, according to english.gossiplankanews.com and an earlier report on lankanewspapers.com. Full enforcement starts 1 April 2027. Under the scheme, points are deducted on top of existing fines for each of 47 listed traffic offences, with up to 7 points for serious offences like dangerous or reckless driving. Once a driver hits 30 points, their licence is automatically suspended — normally for a year, reduced to 3 months if they complete a prescribed retraining course. Police will text offenders with their point total after they pay a fine.
Why it matters: This doesn't change anything at the pump or the RMV counter today, but it changes what a clean driving record will be worth from April 2027. If you're buying a vehicle to drive for hire, as a courier, or for a business, start tracking your own point exposure now rather than after enforcement begins. Read our general road-readiness advice on /safety-tips and ask RMV-specific questions from other owners on /forum.
Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament on 23 October that Sri Lankans who still hold a valid Sri Lankan driving licence can use it to drive here during visits home, without buying any additional permit, Newswire reported. He added that people who exchanged their Sri Lankan licence for a foreign one can get a local replacement by submitting the relevant documents on return, and those who lost their licence overseas can apply for a replacement through the normal process, including filing a police report. The minister said this applies to returnees from any country.
Why it matters: This is useful if you're part of the Sri Lankan diaspora and plan to buy, register, or test-drive a vehicle while back home — you don't need to budget time or money for a fresh licence just because you've been driving abroad. If you're buying remotely for a family member, /post-ad and /vehicles let you browse and list without needing to be in the country, but the actual registration transfer and test drive still need someone with a valid licence present.
Lanka IOC, Sri Lanka's only private fuel retailer alongside the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), increased its Petrol 95 Octane price by Rs. 20 a litre this week, Newswire reported on 25 October. All its other fuel grades were left unchanged. This follows CPC's own price revision from 1 October, when Petrol 92 rose by Rs. 15 to Rs. 414, Auto Diesel rose by Rs. 10 to Rs. 392, and Super Diesel jumped Rs. 50 to Rs. 528 per litre; CPC's Petrol 95 and kerosene were held at Rs. 475 and Rs. 285 respectively at that time.
Why it matters: If you run a vehicle on Petrol 95, check which brand's stations you usually fill up at — CPC and Lanka IOC don't always move together. Fuel cost is one of the biggest differences between buying a petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicle, so factor the grade your shortlisted vehicle needs into your running-cost comparison before you buy, not after.
HNB Finance PLC and Toyota Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week to offer leasing facilities for buyers of brand-new Toyota vehicles and Toyota Sure certified used vehicles, Daily News and Hiru News reported on 26 October. Under the deal, HNB Finance will provide financing while Toyota Lanka layers on its own after-sales and ownership benefits for customers who lease through the partnership.
Why it matters: More lenders competing for Toyota buyers generally means more room to negotiate on rate, tenure or down payment, especially if you're choosing between a brand-new car and a Toyota Sure certified used one. Before you sign anything, run the numbers through our /leasing calculator to see the real monthly payment at different tenures and down payments, and compare that against at least one other bank or finance company's quote.
None of these five stories change what you pay at the RMV counter or at customs this week, but together they shift the ground under a few decisions: what a new kei EV costs against the used market, what a clean licence will be worth from April 2027, what overseas Sri Lankans need (and don't need) to drive here, which pump brand is cheaper for your fuel grade, and which lender has the sharper leasing deal on a new Toyota. If you're actively buying or selling, cross-check today's asking prices on /price-check, browse live stock on /vehicles, and if you're ready to sell your own vehicle, list it on /post-ad. For anything specific to your situation — an import timeline, a licence query, a leasing quote you're not sure about — post it on /forum and other Sri Lankan owners and buyers can weigh in.
The 2027 Budget funds a new DMT head office and a digital vehicle registration system, a magistrate ordered a full probe into the fatal Rambewa bus crash, Police opened a 24-hour WhatsApp line for reckless driving reports, and the DMC warned of heavy rain from 13-15 November.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
On 12 November 2026, the DMT warned the public against brokers near its offices, Police opened WhatsApp lines for reporting dangerous driving, and Parliament received the 2027 Budget, which could reshape vehicle taxes.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
The past 48 hours brought wider DMT one-day and regular services, a deadly three-bus pile-up on the A9 at Rambewa that renews safety concerns, fresh police road-death figures for 2026, and a slight rupee gain against the US dollar.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
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