Instamart, the quick-commerce platform, is strengthening its electric mobility ecosystem by bringing battery-swapping infrastructure closer to delivery partners through partnerships with Yulu and Yuma Energy.
The initiative is aimed at addressing two practical barriers to EV adoption in last-mile delivery, access to affordable electric two-wheelers and downtime associated with charging.
The first battery-swapping station under the initiative was inaugurated earlier this month at an Instamart POD, or dark store, in the presence of Anant Choudhary, VP – Driver & Delivery Org, Instamart, and Deepak Nanwani, Head of Revenue and Operations, Yuma Energy.
Battery swapping closer to delivery hubs
Instamart is providing space at its PODs for Yuma Energy’s battery-swapping stations, enabling delivery partners to access energy infrastructure closer to their operating locations.
Yuma Energy currently operates more than 2,000 battery-swapping units, with each swap taking less than two minutes. For delivery partners covering an average of more than 90 km a day, two battery swaps may be required during a typical working day.
According to Instamart, locating swapping stations closer to PODs can save delivery partners up to 60 minutes of travel and waiting time each day.
Instamart VP, Driver & Delivery Org , Anant Choudhary said, “The next phase of EV adoption is about making electric mobility work in the day-to-day reality of last-mile delivery. That means making vehicles more accessible, keeping operating costs low, and cutting down on charging downtime. Our partnerships with Yulu and Yuma Energy are focused on solving these practical challenges together.”
Rental cashback lowers EV costs
As part of its collaboration with Yulu, Instamart is offering rental cashback incentives to delivery partners using Yulu electric two-wheelers for deliveries on the platform.
The programme, launched in May 2026, has incentivised thousands of delivery partners and reduced rental expenses for participating partners by up to 30%.
The initiative is intended to lower the cost of switching to an electric two-wheeler while reducing exposure to fluctuations in petrol prices.
Yuma Energy Head of Revenue and Operations Deepak Nanwani said, “For a delivery rider, the EV transition comes down to one question: does this vehicle make me more money per shift than what I’m using today. Affordability gets someone into the vehicle and its uptime and energy access that decide the earning opportunity.”
Building a wider EV ecosystem
Instamart, together with Swiggy, works with more than 50 EV partners across India. The partnerships with Yulu and Yuma Energy add vehicle access, rental support and battery-swapping infrastructure to the ecosystem.
Yuma Energy has delivered more than 60 million battery swaps and says its network provides 99.9% uptime for its energy solutions.
Yulu, meanwhile, operates electric two-wheelers across major metros including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Hyderabad. Its users have collectively travelled more than 2.2 billion km.
Instamart was launched in August 2020 and is present in more than 131 cities, offering groceries, daily essentials and other products through its quick-commerce delivery network.