By Jai Sunthush Abeyewardene
Its space-age, high-tech design inside and out seamlessly evokes feelings of pure freedom, and deep relaxation like a ride on a magic carpet, often accompanied by a sense of wonder, gentle swaying, and incredible joy off road or running in the city while you are on the driving seat.
Hayleys Mobility, in partnership with Omoda & Jaecoo (OJ), SRM, and Kaiyi, is truly living its promise of being “One brand for every journey.” And from what I saw, it’s the only brand in Sri Lanka right now offering solutions for every type of consumer journey.
Particularly, the Chery Group’s Omoda & Jaecoo (OJ) Auto-Mindblowers designed for emotional and physical sensations and indescribable thrills, lined up in the exhibit area by Hayleys Mobility, took me by surprise. It’s what I’ve being dreaming all along to write about as I was greeted by this genius duo – Hasith Prematillake, Managing Director of Hayleys Fentons Limited, and Roshani Dharmaratne, Executive Director of Hayleys Mobility, all set to inspire me and my readers about their wheeled auto miracles.
Q. Mr. Hasith Prematillake, I would like my readers to have a feel of your qualified comments first. What are some of the most popular and high demand vehicles you have and their specialties?
Our passenger ranges, OJ and Kaiyi, have genuinely captured people’s attention. What distinguishes them is that many features treated as optional extras in competing brands come as standard here, at no additional cost to the customer.
The Jaecoo J7 Plug-in Hybrid and the flagship Jaecoo J8 2.0L Petrol SUV have been particularly well received. They combine premium comfort, sporting character, and intelligent driving systems in a package that would cost considerably more under a European badge.
For urban drivers, the Omoda C9 Plug-in Hybrid and Omoda C5 are standout choices, futuristic in design, seamless in their infotainment integration, and equipped with advanced driver assistance systems. The Omoda C5 is especially compelling at Rs. 15.9 million, offering a feature set normally associated with high-end European marques.
Then there is the all-new Kaiyi eVibe, a sub-compact electric hatchback at an introductory price of Rs. 7.9 million. As a limited launch benefit, the first 100 customers receive a complimentary 3 kW solar system.
On the commercial side, the SRM T3 EV light commercial truck is generating considerable interest among industrial and business clients. Its fully electric drivetrain, operational efficiency, and urban practicality make it an ideal solution for companies seeking sustainable transport and for those with ESG, that is Environmental, Social, and Governance responsibility, embedded at the heart of their operations. For such businesses, switching to electric commercial transport is a measurable, meaningful step towards meeting their broader ethical and environmental commitments.
Q. How do you explain the shifting consumer attitudes towards electric vehicles in Sri Lanka?
Consumer attitudes have evolved remarkably, and we are now at a turning point, driven by the current geopolitical climate and a growing anxiety about dependence on conventional energy.
Until recently, electric vehicles were perceived as niche, aspirational products, suited chiefly to the environmentally conscious who were prepared to tolerate certain inconveniences. That narrative is changing rapidly.
Today’s buyer conducts considerably more research than their counterpart of even five years ago. They understand range specifications, charging times, battery warranties, and total lifecycle costs in ways that simply did not exist before. The conversation has shifted decisively from “Should I consider an EV?” to “Which EV is right for me?” and that is a momentous cultural shift.
Paradoxically, the recent economic crisis served as an accelerant. When fuel became scarce and expensive, consumers were confronted directly with their exposure to global oil volatility. That experience created a lasting psychological shift, a new and very real appetite for energy independence.
Q. What measures are in place to ensure customer service meets a consistently high standard?
Hayleys Mobility is built on over a century of engineering expertise from Hayleys Fentons Limited, and on the remarkable 148-year legacy of Hayleys PLC. It is customer loyalty that has kept us moving forward across all those years, and that legacy shapes everything we do.
Customers can explore our full portfolio online via the Hayleys Mobility website (www.hayleysmobility.com), the Omoda & Jaecoo Sri Lanka website (www.omodajaecoo.com.lk), and across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. For personalised guidance, our expert team is always reachable on 0112 222 222.
For those who prefer to see and feel a vehicle before committing, our OJ flagship store at Altair Towers in Colombo 2, and the Kaiyi Showroom and Delivery Centre in Colombo 10, provide direct access to both passenger and commercial vehicles. Customers can take a test drive, explore features at their own pace, and receive expert advice, without queues or the uncertainty of pre-orders. Moreover, we’ve partnered with a number of financial institutions to make vehicle financing simple and straightforward.
Repairs and maintenance are equally hassle-free. With over Rs. 1 billion worth of genuine spare parts readily available at all times, we ensure quick and efficient turnaround times. For instance, a Jaecoo J7 involved in an accident was fully repaired in under two days. Our after-sales care is a top priority, supported by a dedicated team always on hand to assist.
Q. How do you train your staff to keep pace with the technology inside these modern vehicles?
This is, arguably, our most critical operational investment and one we approached with great deliberation before bringing a single vehicle to market. Our founding philosophy was to build the right foundation before making promises to customers, and the competence of our technical and sales teams is the bedrock of that foundation.
Our technicians undertake structured, manufacturer-led training programmes directly with the Chery Group and SRM. These cover high-voltage battery systems, electric drivetrain diagnostics, PHEV powertrain management, ADAS calibration, and the proprietary software architectures that govern these vehicles.
Crucially, training is not a one-time event, it is a continuous curriculum that evolves alongside each model update and software release. Our customer-facing teams receive equally rigorous product training, ensuring they can articulate the technical differences between models with precision and confidence, rather than falling back on generic sales scripts.
We have also invested substantially in diagnostic equipment, workshop infrastructure, and EV-specific safety protocols across our service facilities. As our commercial vehicle range, including the SRM T3 EV and X30L EV, scales, this technical capability extends naturally to support fleet and corporate customers as well. Ultimately, the quality of our people is what transforms a vehicle purchase into a trusted, long-term ownership relationship.
Q. Why should a customer choose your dealership over attempting to buy from a reseller?
The answer lies in what happens after the purchase.
As the exclusive authorised distributor for Omoda & Jaecoo, SRM, and Kaiyi in Sri Lanka, we are the manufacturer’s sanctioned representative in this market. That means customers receive manufacturer-backed warranties, certified technical support, genuine parts, not grey-market alternatives, and access to official software updates.
We also offer something a manufacturer’s head office in a foreign land simply cannot replicate which is depth of localised knowledge. We understand Sri Lankan roads, the local charging ecosystem, and the regulatory environment. Moreover, because we carry multiple brands, we are in a position to recommend the right vehicle for a customer’s specific lifestyle, rather than simply pushing a single product or a brand.
We are building relationships we intend to sustain for the lifetime of each vehicle and, indeed, through every subsequent vehicle our customers purchase. The Hayleys name has stood for integrity in Sri Lanka for 148 years. That, ultimately, is the most compelling reason to choose us.
Q. Now I turn to the vivacious Roshani Dharmaratne, to know your side of the story. What are your views about the current industry trends?
The automotive industry globally is undergoing its most profound transformation since the invention of the internal combustion engine. Sri Lanka is not insulated from these forces but it is, I believe, well positioned to leapfrog conventional mobility entirely.
Three trends are currently shaping our market: electrification, next-generation vehicles that use smart connectivity to make driving safer, easier, and more enjoyable, and the rise of a digitally informed, environmentally conscious consumer.
Urban professionals are increasingly evaluating total cost of ownership rather than upfront prices and that calculation is increasingly favouring electrified vehicles.
Premium technology is also becoming more accessible. Brands such as Omoda & Jaecoo, Kaiyi, and SRM now offer world-class vehicles at price points that were previously unimaginable for this segment. Through reliable, authorised distribution partners such as Hayleys Mobility, that global technology arrives right at the customer’s doorstep.
Q. What are the biggest challenges facing the automotive dealership industry at present?
Trust. Too many operators continue to prioritise short-term volume over long-term support, and customers pay the price as a result. When a vehicle requires service, a software update, or warranty attention and the importer cannot deliver, it is the customer who suffers. Rebuilding trust across the industry is a shared responsibility, and it is one we take seriously by ensuring that every vehicle we sell is backed by manufacturer warranties, certified technical teams, genuine parts availability, and a 24/7 roadside assistance hotline.
There is also the very real challenge of managing a technology transition in a market with limited institutional knowledge of new-energy vehicles. In this space, preparedness is everything. Today’s customer arrives informed, curious, and full of questions and those questions never stop coming. It is therefore imperative that automotive dealers invest continuously in their people, ensuring that every member of the team, from the showroom floor to the service bay, can engage with confidence, accuracy, and genuine expertise. A well-informed customer deserves an equally well-informed dealer.
Q. Tell us about the history of Hayleys Mobility.
Hayleys Mobility Limited is the mobility arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited, the Energy, Mobility and Projects vertical of Hayleys PLC, Sri Lanka’s largest and most diversified conglomerate, with a heritage spanning 148 years.
The formal journey began in August, 2025, when Hayleys Fentons secured exclusive franchise rights for Omoda & Jaecoo, premium new-energy vehicle brands under the Chery Automobile Group, covering electric, hybrid, and ICE models across Sri Lanka. That agreement provided a comprehensive platform to serve multiple customer segments simultaneously.
In December 2024, we entered into a strategic partnership with StarCharge, a global leader in EV charging technology, to support the deployment of charging infrastructure across the island. This addressed one of the most significant barriers to EV adoption, charging accessibility, before we had sold a single vehicle.
January, 2026 proved our most consequential month operationally. We launched the OJ range at The Kingsbury Colombo on 27th January, opened our premium Delivery Centre and Kaiyi Showroom in Colombo 10, and subsequently unveiled what is now South Asia’s largest Omoda & Jaecoo flagship showroom at Altair Tower, Colombo 2.
In little over a year, we have built a genuinely comprehensive mobility ecosystem, vehicles, infrastructure, after-sales, and financing partnerships. And we are, by our own reckoning, only at the beginning.
Q. Why do you consider Hayleys Mobility to be a cut above the competition?
I would frame that less as a question of superiority and more as one of completeness.
What truly distinguishes us is the comprehensiveness of the ecosystem we have built, and the institutional credibility we bring to a market that is still finding its norms. Hayleys Mobility is the mobility arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited, one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most respected engineering companies, and a sister company to Hayleys Solar, the country’s leading solar EPC contractor, with over 500 MW of solar installations delivered both locally and internationally.
That heritage positions us uniquely. When a customer purchases a new-energy vehicle from us, they receive complimentary chargers as part of the package. But the relationship does not end at the handover. Through Hayleys Solar, we can help customers install solar or hybrid solar systems, including battery storage for night-time use. With solar systems carrying a 30-year lifespan, genuine energy independence becomes a realistic prospect. The ambition, in short, is to bring a customer’s energy costs as close to zero as possible.
Many operators in Sri Lanka can import and sell a vehicle. Very few can offer what we offer: manufacturer-sanctioned distribution rights, full warranty coverage, a certified national service network, genuine parts availability, EV charging infrastructure through StarCharge, formalised financing partnerships, and the full backing of a 148-year-old institution in the prestigious Hayleys Group. Every vehicle comes with manufacturer-assured guarantees, and together these elements represent something far greater than a transaction. They represent a long-term partnership built on security, savings, and peace of mind.
This isn’t a collection of services. It’s an integrated ownership ecosystem, one that only we can offer, end to end.
