Energy expert Dr. Vidura Ralapanawa dismantles the President’s claim that night time EV charging creates 300MW of excess demand, stating that even quadruple the current EV fleet would not reach such levels.
Dr. Vidura Ralapanawa has stated that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent claim regarding a 300MW additional electricity demand from nighttime electric vehicle charging is scientifically unacceptable and completely false. He emphasized this during a discussion with Derana Television network.
Dr. Ralapanawa explained that given the current number of electric vehicles in Sri Lanka, the actual demand could not even reach 100MW. He pointed out that to create a 300MW demand, the country would need four times the current EV fleet, and all of those vehicles would have to be charging simultaneously.
Clarifying the real nature of EV usage, he noted that modern electric vehicles typically offer a range between 300 and 500 kilometers and are not charged daily. On average, they are charged approximately once every five days. Additionally, since a single charging session takes only a limited amount of time, it is impossible for all vehicles to be connected to the grid simultaneously to generate such a massive demand. As someone who has used electric vehicles for ten years, he said he can personally attest to this reality.
Dr. Ralapanawa further alleged that behind the President being provided with such incorrect data are advisors who promote fossil fuel interests.
He emphasized that for the country to achieve energy self sufficiency, promoting renewable energy, battery storage systems, and electric vehicles is essential.
