Business
Ideal Motors unveils Sri Lanka’s first home-grown electric car
Ideal Motors unveiled the ‘Ideal Moksha,’ Sri Lanka’s first home-grown fully-electric car at the JAIC Hilton on Thursday (28). Drawing inspiration from the iconic Austin Mini Moke that took the world by storm, the Ideal Moksha is geared to be a game changer for the Sri Lankan market and the most practical solution in the current technology transition phase towards a sustainable, carbon-neutral future.
As the name depicts, ‘Moksha’ is intended to provide a blissful driving experience with advanced technology and design principles embedded in every detail – a new solution for Sri Lanka’s roads that offers style, space, comfort, and connectivity.
Classified as a four-wheeled electric quadricycle, the Ideal Moksha is fitted with a 22.46 kWh Lithium battery that provides a range of up to 200 kilometers on a single charge by plugging into a 15-amp domestic charger overnight. With a weight of just 870 kg, the powertrain provides a speed of 1080 rpm. The interior of the car packs a spacious cabin offering comfortable seating to the driver and 3 passengers. The car is offered in matching 2-tone exterior colours.
The customer can access information, favourite music, and maps using the 7-inch multimedia touchscreen display that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The fully air-conditioned car includes, push start, and alloy wheels.Furthermore, Ideal Moksha offers complete peace of mind with a 2-year warranty on the electric motor as a standard benefit to the customer. The warranty available on the battery will be 5 years from the date of car purchase. Our island-wide aftermarket network will ensure an unmatched level of service.
The Ideal Moksha is expected to offer affordable electric mobility to every segment of society. It is the ideal car for every household in Sri Lanka, especially for the 1.5 million three-wheelers and 4.5 million two-wheelers registered on the island, driving holistic change by empowering drivers with a cost-effective solution to upgrade to a safe and smarter vehicle. The fully automatic car offers 100% torque from start with no gear changes, facilitating ease of learning and a relaxed driving experience.
The electric battery means no petrol stations, thereby removing the stress and complications from travel. With these innovations, the Ideal Moksha is set to transform the very nature of commuting and travel in Sri Lanka; it is the ideal vehicle for everyone and anyone, from the corporate executive looking to conserve and the two-wheeler owner looking to upgrade.
As a strong advocate of sustainable mobility, Nalin Welgama, the Founder and Chairman of the Ideal Group, together with a team of expert technicians who are passionate about climate change and migration to electric vehicles, developed Ideal Moksha in their very own green workshop facility in Ratmalana (the plant itself is fully powered by solar energy).

Speaking at the occasion, Welgama said, “My dream of manufacturing a homegrown electric car in Sri Lanka realised today, with the unveiling of our “Ideal Moksha”.
This entry-level car has the options and sophistication of cars built by the world’s best auto majors! It gives me immense pleasure to declare that my 35 years of experience in the automobile business has contributed to the making of this car on my home soil. I fervently hope that this signals a beginning of a new era in the manufacture of EVs in Sri Lanka.”
This is just the beginning of this next step for Ideal Motors. Building on the momentum, the Company also unveiled a fully electric moped and a retrofit kit that will enable the migration of a combustion engine to an electric engine.
But the Ideal Moksha and other EVs are only one piece of the puzzle; the Ideal Group’s goal is to not simply pass off the energy deficit and costs from fuel to electricity, especially if the sources of electricity are non-renewable.
With this in mind, the Ideal Group offers customers a package for a total green solution along with their purchase of the Ideal Moksha to completely power the car using renewable energy.
This package is particularly aimed at 5.5 million households that use less than 100 and 200 kilowatts of electricity units per month. The package includes the installation of up to 4 kilowatts of rooftop solar energy, where an average household will be able to meet their daily requirements of energy and completely do away with paying electricity bills.
The Ideal Group believes that it is this kind of systematic, integrated thinking and problem-solving, of which the Ideal Moksha is the first step, that will truly bring about a revolution in mobility.With over three decades of expertise in the local automotive and after-market solutions industry, Ideal Holdings and Ideal Group are a truly Sri Lankan group of companies, with over 2,000 staff and an annual turnover of LKR 25 billion.
As a pioneering organisation, the Ideal Group specialises in the manufacture, assembly, and import and distribution of motor vehicles; electric vehicles; genuine parts, aftermarket solutions, and lubricants; finance and leasing; insurance; power generation and renewable energy; transport and logistics, including domestic and international courier services; agriculture; and e-commerce.
Business
Business, economic heavyweights converge in Colombo
Senior business leaders, economists and international development experts, alongside the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, will headline the Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026, organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 12 and 13 October at the Shangri-La Colombo.
The Summit will open with a keynote address by T. Krishnakumar, Chief Executive Officer, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, who brings more than four decades of experience in the consumer brands and FMCG sectors. Having previously served as President of Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, with extensive experience in building businesses and driving growth across emerging markets, Krishnakumar, more popularly known as Kk, now leads Reliance Consumer Products as it expands across categories and builds new customer, partnership and market opportunities.
Day 2 will bring together four international perspectives across discussions on economic resilience, regional connectivity, sector growth and digital transformation.
Lilia Aleksanyan, Senior Country Economist for Sri Lanka at the Asian Development Bank, will open the day’s discussions with a focus on Sri Lanka’s economic resilience. Her work covers the country’s macroeconomic outlook, policy advice and macro-fiscal and financial-sector reform. Her international policy experience also includes roles at the French Ministry of Finance and the French Central Bank.
The Summit will then turn to Sri Lanka’s connections with regional markets, with P. D. Singh, Chief Executive Officer, India & South Asia, Standard Chartered Bank, delivering the keynote for the session on trade corridors and value chains. Singh counts close to three decades of experience in banking and finance, with senior leadership roles spanning Standard Chartered, JPMorgan Chase Bank and HSBC.
The Sector Deep Dives will bring international perspectives to discussions on healthcare and energy.
Tushar Shroff, Chief Financial Officer, Zydus Lifesciences Ltd, will deliver the keynote for the healthcare discussion, drawing on more than three decades of experience in corporate finance, strategic investment and financial transformation. His career spans senior finance and leadership roles with ABB, Piramal Healthcare, Intas Pharmaceuticals and Vedanta Group, giving him a broad perspective on the business and investment decisions shaping the healthcare sector.
For the energy-focused deep dive, Edore Onomakpome, Regional Infrastructure Industry Manager for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal at the International Finance Corporation, will bring extensive experience in infrastructure investment and project finance across emerging markets. Since joining IFC in 2013, she has held senior roles across Africa and South Asia, including managing IFC’s infrastructure portfolio across 16 countries.
The Summit will conclude its keynote programme with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who will deliver the keynote for “Nation Building in the Digital Age.” The Prime Minister also oversees the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, bringing a direct policy perspective to discussions on digital transformation, innovation, education and the skills needed for a changing economy.
Together, these perspectives will bring regional, international and policy insight to SLEIS 2026 as Sri Lanka considers how to strengthen economic resilience, attract investment, deepen regional connections and develop new sources of growth.
Held under the theme “Positioning Sri Lanka in a Changing Global Economy: Resilience, Reform, and the Future of Economic Policy,” SLEIS 2026 will take place on 12 and 13 October 2026 at the Shangri-La Colombo.
The Sri Lanka Economic & Investment Summit 2026 is supported by its valued sponsors and partners. Platinum Sponsor – Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka, Gold Sponsor – VISA Worldwide (Pvt) Ltd., Bronze Sponsor – South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt) Ltd., Strategic Development Partner – Asian Development Bank, Telecommunication Partner – Dialog Telecommunication, Television Partner – Dialog Television, Session Sponsors – David Pieris Motor Company (Pvt) Ltd., Hemas Holdings PLC, Sunshine Holdings PLC, International Construction Consortium (Pvt) Ltd., Microsoft Sri Lanka (Pvt) Limited, Official Logistics Partner – Hayleys Advantis Limited, Official Airline – SriLankan Airlines Ltd., Official Hospitality Partner – Shangri-La Colombo, Airline Partner – China Eastern Air Holding Co. Ltd.
Registrations for SLEIS 2026 are now closed. The Ceylon Chamber looks forward to welcoming participants to the discussions on Sri Lanka’s future trajectory on 12 and 13 October.
Business
Commercial Bank launches ‘Prestige’ banking for HNW clients
Commercial Bank of Ceylon has launched ‘Prestige’, a three-tier banking proposition aimed at high-net-worth (HNW) clients, combining wealth management, advisory services and lifestyle benefits.
The initiative replaces the bank’s existing ‘Elite’ private banking brand with Ruby, Sapphire and Diamond tiers, designed to cater to customers according to their wealth profiles and banking relationships.
The bank said Prestige would provide dedicated relationship managers, priority branch services, preferential rates on loans and deposits, enhanced card privileges, family banking programmes and offshore account solutions.
Its wealth and investment management services include access to capital-protected income solutions, dual-currency investments, institutional deals and estate and portfolio governance.
Clients will also have access to specialist financial and corporate advisory services, including assistance with international relocation, overseas property and capital repatriation.
The programme includes lifestyle benefits such as VIP airport lounge access, travel concierge services, property management and medical coordination, as well as access to selected art and culinary events.
The bank said its flagship Prestige banking residence at R.G. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 07, had been refurbished, with the service to be extended to other economically important cities.
Commercial Bank Managing Director/CEO Sanath Manatunge said Prestige was intended to support customers in managing their wealth, business interests, family needs and long-term legacy.
Existing Elite clients are being transitioned to the new programme, the bank said.
Business
Ceylinco Life rewards 80 sales achievers with overseas tours
Ceylinco Life has rewarded 80 members of its sales force with overseas tours to Vietnam and China for their outstanding performance in the company’s 2025 sales competitions.
The group comprised 62 sales achievers who travelled to Vietnam and 18 who visited China.
The Vietnam tour included visits to Hanoi’s Ho Chi Minh Complex, One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Hoan Kiem Lake. The group also travelled to Ha Long Bay, where they went on an Aurora Cruise and explored attractions including Sung Sot Cave, Luun Cave and Titop Island.
The tour also featured a sunset party aboard the cruise, with music and refreshments.
The 18 achievers who travelled to China visited several of Beijing’s major historical and cultural attractions, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. They also took a boat ride on Kunming Lake.
A highlight of the China tour was a visit to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, including a round-trip cable car ride. The group also attended an acrobatic show at Chaoyang Theatre and visited the Panda Garden at Beijing Zoo.
The company said the tours were organised to recognise and reward sales personnel for their performance and achievements.
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