MONETABRIEF – BYD RACCO, a Kei-style car produced by the China-based automaker is offered at 11.45 million rupees in Sri Lanka, Charith Panditharatne, Chief Executive of John Keells CG Auto said.
After Japan, Sri Lanka is only the second market the vehicle is offered, officials said at its launch on October 09 in the Indian Ocean Island.
JKCG hopes to sell 3,000 RACCO units in Sri Lanka over the next year, Charitha Subasinghe, head of retail division of John Keells Holdings told MonetaBrief.
Kei (kei-jidōsha) are a class of ultra compact vehicles engineered foir Japan complying with specific size specifications to take up less space on the roads and during parking.
The vehicle is popular in Sri Lanka's used (reconditioned) car market.
BYD has become Sri Lanka's top selling electrified vehicle brand, selling both all electric and hybrids since the vehicle market was re-opened.
Deputy General Manager of Asia-Pacific Auto Sales Division Ketsu Zhang said there were around 15,000 BYD vehicles in Sri Lanka.
The first BYD vehicles hit Sri Lankan roads in 2003, he said.
But the sales took off after the partnership with John Keells and with more advanced vehicles with range and the firm developed better batteries.
BYD had produced 17 million new energy vehicles by 2026, Zhang said.
The official milestone was marked in July 2026 and the firm is now estimated to have passed the 18 million mark for all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. (Colombo/Oct09/2026)