Vehicles on Lankan roads reached 6.8mn in 2016: study

Sri Lanka reached a 6.8 million motor vehicle population in 2016, an 8 percent increase from 6.3 million registered in 2015, according to the latest edition of an annual report on the country’s vehicle market, compiled by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC). 

During 2016, the country’s expenditure on motor vehicle imports declined by 32 percent to Rs.194 billion compared to 2015, where Sri Lanka spent the highest ever expenditure for motor vehicle imports of Rs.288 billion. 

This sharp drop was mainly driven by motor cars. 

The report further reports that with this significant decline of motor vehicle imports, vehicle registrations declined by 26 percent compared to 2015. More than half (54 percent) of the current vehicle population consists of motor bicycles followed by three-wheelers (16 percent) and motor cars (11 percent).

The report, prepared by the Economic Intelligence Unit of the CCC, provides a detailed statistical analysis and industry overview of Sri Lanka’s vehicle market, featuring the latest information on registration, vehicle population, imports of vehicles by vehicle category and an overview on the global vehicle market and global hybrid and electric vehicle market.

A copy of the report can be purchased contacting CCC Economic Intelligence Unit Research Analyst Saumya Amarasiriwardane on 011-55 888 83 or saumya@chamber.lk.