Swiggy today, has announced the commencement of trials that will increase the deployment of EVs in its delivery fleet. These trials are aimed towards Swiggy’s commitment to cover deliveries spanning 8 lakh kilometers everyday through EVs by 2025. For the same, Swiggy has signed an agreement with Reliance BP Mobility Limited (RBML) to build an EV ecosystem and battery-swapping stations for its delivery partners across the country.
Additionally, Swiggy has also partnered with Hero Lectro, a leading e-cycle manufacturer and Fast despatch logistics, a leading last mile delivery player in the UK to enable end-to-end delivery of Swiggy orders through cargo e-cycles. The trails are currently running in Bangalore, New Delhi and Hyderabad.
Making deliveries through EVs is expected to lower the running cost of vehicles by up to 40%, leading to higher earnings for Swiggy’s delivery partners. Today’s announcement comes on the back of almost two years of pilots, during which Swiggy explored various models to determine what would make EV adoption easier and more profitable for its delivery partners.
Commenting on the initiative, Shri Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive Officer of Niti Aayog, said, “The Indian industry must continue to work towards driving the adoption of EVs as a part of the nation’s overall efforts to transition to sustainable and environment-friendly mobility. Swiggy’s commitment in this direction is a welcomed development. I urge other industry players to factor EVs in their business and operating models for a sustainable future."
Swiggy CEO, Sriharsha Majety, said, “Business growth should go hand-in-hand with the interests of its stakeholders, the welfare of the community, and minimizing the impact on the environment. Swiggy’s fleet delivers millions of orders each month with our partners traveling an average of 80- 100kms daily. As we continue to work towards providing our consumers with greater convenience, we are also mindful of the environmental impact of our operations and are taking the necessary steps to make our journey more sustainable. Transitioning to EVs is an important step in this direction. It will have a positive impact not only on the environment but also empower our delivery partners to earn more."
Reliance BP Mobility Ltd (RBML) CEO, Mr Harish C. Mehta said “Our collaboration with Swiggy has the potential to bring disruption and increase EV adoption among delivery and transportation companies in the country. We are confident Swiggy and their Delivery partners will immensely benefit from our widespread network of Battery Swap stations."
Reliance BP Mobility Limited (RBML) will install battery swapping stations every few kilometers. A single pre-charged battery enables a commute of almost 65-80 kilometers. Battery swapping itself will take less than five minutes, ensuring lesser waiting time and more deliveries and earnings for the delivery partners. Swiggy will also train the delivery partners on how to use the EVs, the swapping stations, and apps that monitor battery performance.
Swiggy is working with Hero Lectro and Fast Despatch logistics to deploy electric cycles for last-mile deliveries. The pilot, currently live in Hyderabad, will expand to other metros in the coming months. Hero Lectro Cargo e-bikes are specifically designed for last mile deliveries and can travel at a maximum speed of 25 kmph with a range of 70-75 kms per charge- making them ideal for short-distance deliveries.
In addition to being pollution-free, the advantage of e-cycles is that they do not need immediate swapping or recharging when the battery runs out. They can be charged on regular plug points or continue running on pedal power.
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