In partnership with CodeGen International (Pvt.) Ltd., Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) is to convert 1 million fossil-run three-wheelers (tuks) into electric vehicles (EVs) under the Net Zero vertical of CDB’s Sustainability Agenda.
Accordingly, CodeGen International, with (CDB) launched e Shift Concept Centre at Greenpath, Colombo yesterday (11).
“The electrification of 1 million fossil-run tuks that are existing in the Sri Lankan market can drive Sri Lanka’s economy green by reducing 5 million tonnes of carbon emission per year,” said CodeGen Chairman and CEO Dr. Harsha Subasinghe at the launch of the centre.
The agreement on this was signed recently by CDB Managing Director/CEO Mahesh Nanayakkara and CodeGen Chairman/CEO Dr. Subasinghe.
“We will make sure to convert fossil fuel vehicles to EVs and we will build much better vehicles along with a power charging network,” he added.
As part of its Sustainability Agenda, CDB, together with global and local partners, also initiated the Haritha Coalition, designed to promote EVs and solar energy solutions to Sri Lanka. The e Shift Concept Centre therefore, is another of the progressive steps taken by this coalition in which chargeNET, a subsidiary of CodeGen International which powers the charging stations at the centre, is a partner. This collaboration accelerates CDB’s sustainability mobility solutions by promoting a comprehensive ecosystem for EVs with a focus on knowledge sharing, EV-charging and EV-conversion.
Thus, the eShift Concept Centre has Sri Lanka’s first three-wheeler fast charger and ChargeNET which provides charging solutions and Volt motive to facilitate three-wheeler conversion.
Dr. Subasinghe noted that the challenge with tuks was that they needed a fast-charging battery.
“The first fast-charging battery we are releasing today completes charging in about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The next battery (completes) charging in half-an-hour to 40 minutes”
Commenting on the collaboration, Mahesh Nanayakkara stated: “The cost of conversion, payable duties, cost of funds, and customer conviction to convert vehicles, adds to a long list of other necessities. But we are confident and committed to travel this path with the help of like-minded people and organisations around the world, joining us to pursue a greener economy. Global warming and climate change is not a global crisis anymore, but a global emergency that needs urgent action.”
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, during the inauguration of the National Information Technology and Business Process Management Professional (IT & BPM) Exhibition at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Hall in Colombo on the same day emphasised that key to economic transformation is the three-pronged strategy of creating a competitive economy, fostering a sustainable green economy, and advancing the digital economy.
Source: the morning
