JKCG Auto encourages smart EV charging

• Calls on customers to take advantage of smart charging features built into all BYD and DENZA vehicles

John Keells CG Auto (JKCG Auto), the sole authorised distributor for BYD and its premium sub-brand DENZA in Sri Lanka, is encouraging the customers to adopt smart charging practices in line with the recent national guidance on electricity usage.

As Sri Lanka continues to navigate the current energy challenges, JKCG Auto called on its customers to take advantage of smart charging features built into all BYD and DENZA vehicles, helping them maximise these savings while supporting overall grid stability. 

All JKCG Auto customers are provided with at home EV chargers, with 7kW and 2.5kW capacity and together with the smart scheduling systems, this allows the customers to align their charging behaviour with national energy needs, while also benefiting from greater efficiency and potential cost savings.

“We encourage our customers to make full use of the intelligent features built into their BYD and DENZA vehicles, such as smart or scheduled charging, which allows the vehicles to be programmed to charge at predefined times rather than immediately upon being plugged in,” said JKCG Auto CEO Charith Panditharathne. 

He clarified, “This means that even if a vehicle is connected overnight, it will only draw power during designated off-peak hours, helping to reduce strain on the grid while enabling the customers to benefit from lower energy costs. As EV adoption continues to grow, these small but important actions, alongside solutions like rooftop solar, can play a meaningful role in strengthening Sri Lanka’s energy resilience.”

Accordingly, the EV users are encouraged to avoid charging during peak demand hours between 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Instead, the users are encouraged to charge their EVs during off peak hours between 10:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. The EV users with solar systems installed at home or work can also schedule charging to take advantage of the solar generation window between approximately 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.