KATHMANDU: E-commerce firms are kicking off a quiet green revolution in South Asia with every electric ride. In India, e-commerce and food delivery leaders like Flipkart, Amazon, BigBasket, Swiggy and Eternal (previously Zomato) are gradually adopting electric two-wheelers and vehicles for their last mile deliveries.
This transition is part of a larger initiative to cut emissions, reduce operational costs and meet the growing consumer demand for sustainability.
According to the Economic Times, Flipkart has over 10,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in its delivery fleet and more than 70% of its grocery deliveries are already conducted using EVs. Amazon India has deployed some 10,000 EVs in over 500 cities. Similarly, quick-commerce services like Eternal’s Blinkit logged over 87 million EV-based deliveries in the last fiscal year, marking a 40% increase from the previous year. Similarly, BigBasket has expanded its EV fleet to over 10,000 electric scooters and has set up thousands of EV charging stations throughout its network. Another e-commerce player Swiggy has pledged to transition to a fully electric fleet by 2030.
To support this change, companies are partnering with EV aggregators and offering special leasing options to riders. They are also supporting battery-swapping networks so riders do not have to wait long to charge.
In Nepal, e-Commerce players like Daraz, Foodmandu and BhojDeals are increasingly adopting electric scooters for deliveries.
This trend is also crossing into Nepal. In urban areas such as Kathmandu and Pokhara, e-Commerce players like Daraz, Foodmandu and BhojDeals are increasingly adopting electric scooters for deliveries. Daraz has deployed a fleet of NIU electric scooters, while food-delivery app, Foodmandu, is promoting the transition to electric vehicles among its riders, particularly for maneuvering through city traffic with reduced noise and zero emissions.
The charging infrastructure is also expanding consistently. Startups are exploring mobile charging and battery-swapping systems which facilitate continuous movement for delivery riders.
Despite obstacles such as limited maintenance facilities and significant upfront costs, delivery companies are gradually leaning towards sustainable mobility. They are exploring leasing models to make EVs more accessible to delivery partners.
