BIZ

1.2 mn. ‘Tuks’ to undergo ‘e-Wheel’ revolution in SL

Published

1 year ago

November 17, 2023

editor

A clean and affordable transportation solution is now available for Sri Lanka’s 1.2 million three wheelers with Lanka E-Mobility Solutions (Private) Limited (LeMS), introducing electric three wheel battery swapping technology, branded ‘e-wheel’.

The launch of this novel battery swapping technology means the three-wheeler owner no longer has to purchase a costly battery, or worry about end-of-life replacement, while the battery swapping process takes a mere two minutes! The most expensive component in any electric vehicle is the battery and when converting a petrol three-wheeler to an e-wheeler, the owner does not need to pay for the batteries as they are owned and managed by LeMS, as are the Swapping Stations. The e-wheeler owner only pays for the energy used on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis.

This marks a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey towards sustainable transportation, with its founders being driven by the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and combat harmful air pollution. “Sri Lanka’s 1.2 million three wheelers currently guzzle a staggering 5.5 million liters of petrol a day and each ‘e-wheel’ will help reduce that figure. The e-wheel driver, often the breadwinner of the family, with a mere Rs 450,000 investment, can now save nearly Rs 20,000 per month”, said Managing Director of LeMS, Chaminda Rajapakse. “The advantages are prodigious, with savings on valuable FOREX spent on fuel imports, lubricants, and routine maintenance spare parts”.

LeMS was conceived in 2020 and incubated by Island Climate Initiative (ICI) over the last 2 years. ICI facilitates investment in circular economy, smart agriculture, and clean energy projects, and is dedicated to revolutionizing Sri Lanka’s transport industry with cutting-edge electric technology.

“We take existing petrol three wheelers, remove their engine and replace it with a brand-new electric powertrain. The entire conversion process takes just two hours. Once converted, the vehicle can immediately start using our battery swapping services”, said LeMS Co-Founder & Director, Shirendra Lawrence. He added that battery swapping stations will initially be conveniently located across Colombo and its immediate suburbs, with expansions to Galle and Kandy already being planned. “Once converted, no oil changes or services are required. “What’s more, to run a petrol three wheeler costs over Rs 20 a km, whereas the cost of running an ‘e wheel’ is less than Rs 15 a km . With Sri Lanka having more three-wheelers per capita than even India, the birthplace of three wheelers, LeMS is committed to electrifying the country’s tuk fleet”.

“We, at Peoples Leasing & Finance PLC, are thrilled to be the exclusive finance and leasing partner in this groundbreaking e-Wheel Revolution. This initiative is not just a technological advancement; it aligns seamlessly with our commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and represents a pivotal milestone in our sustainability roadmap” said Shamindra Marcelline Chief Executive Officer of Peoples Leasing & Finance PLC. He went on to say that “by supporting Lanka E-Mobility Solutions (LeMS) in introducing this innovative electric three-wheel battery swapping technology, branded as the ‘e-wheel,’ we are contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable transportation solution for Sri Lanka. This project is a crucial component of our broader sustainability initiatives, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and combat air pollution”

LeMS uses technology developed and tested for over six years by RACE Energy, a Hyderabad based deep-tech company dedicated to advancing electric mobility. “We simply have the most advanced, lightest, safest and most energy dense swappable battery in the market’ said Arun Sreyas, co-founder RACE Energy.

LeMS’ innovative solution, being revolutionary and affordable, will mean more vehicle owners will be able to go green sooner, rather than later.

BIZ

Car giant Ford & Barbie maker Mattel warn over tariffs costs

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2025

editor

Barbie maker Mattel says it will put up the prices of some of its toys in the US as President Donald Trump’s tariffs increase its costs.

The firm also says it will cut the number of products it makes in China for the American market.

At the same time, car making giant Ford says the levies will cost it about $1.5bn (£1.13bn) this year.

They join a growing list of big businesses warning about the impact of US tariffs on their companies and the wider economy.

“Given the volatile macroeconomic environment and evolving US tariff landscape, it is difficult to predict consumer spending, and Mattel’s US sales in the remainder of the year and holiday season,” Mattel said as it updated investors on its financial performance.

The US accounts for about half of Mattel’s global toy sales. It imports around 20% of its goods sold there from China.

The company said it plans to reduce those Chinese imports to the US to below 15% by next year.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has imposed new import taxes of up to 145% on goods from China.

His administration said last month that when the new tariffs are added on to existing ones, the levies on some Chinese goods could reach 245%.

China has hit back with a 125% tax on products from the US.

Apart from China, Mattel imports products – including Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars – from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The three countries were also hit with steep tariffs by Trump in April, before they were paused for 90 days.

Last week, Trump acknowledged the potential impact of tariffs. American children might “have two dolls instead of 30 dolls”, he said, but added that China would suffer more than the US.

Carmaker Ford said it expected tariffs to add $2.5bn to its overall costs this year, mainly due to the increased expense of Mexican and Chinese imports.

But the firm said it had cut about $1bn of those added costs by taking various measures, including transporting vehicles from Mexico to Canada to avoid US tariffs.

The firm also suspended its annual earnings guidance to investors because of uncertainty around Trump’s trade policies.

In April, firms including technology giant Intel, footwear makers Adidas and Skechers, and consumer goods group Procter & Gamble detailed the impact of tariffs on their businesses.

“The very fluid trade policies in the US and beyond, as well as regulatory risks, have increased the chance of an economic slowdown with the probability of a recession growing,” Intel’s chief financial officer David Zinsner said during a call with investors.

Sportswear giant Adidas warned tariffs would lead to higher prices in the US for popular trainers, including the Gazelle and the Samba.

The finance chief of footwear firm Skechers, David Weinberg, told investors: “The current environment is simply too dynamic from which to plan results with a reasonable assurance of success.”

And Procter & Gamble – which makes Ariel laundry detergent, Head & Shoulders shampoo and Gillette shaving products – said it was considering changes to its prices to make up for the extra cost of materials sourced from China and other places.

(BBC News)