Swiggy has launched battery-swapping stations at its Instamart pods across 25 locations and is introducing electric vehicle (EV) rental facilities at the same locations, seeking to make electric two-wheelers more accessible and affordable for last-mile delivery partners.
The initiatives were announced at the company’s EV Mobility Conclave, themed ‘Powering the last mile’, attended by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
The initiative brings together EV manufacturers, charging and battery-swapping infrastructure providers, rental and fleet operators, financiers and delivery partners to address the challenges involved in accelerating EV adoption in last-mile delivery.
By integrating vehicle rentals and battery-swapping facilities into Instamart pods, Swiggy aims to reduce the time and cost associated with accessing electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
Integrating EV access with delivery operations
Swiggy said a delivery partner typically visits an Instamart pod around 20 times on a busy day. Locating EV rentals and battery-swapping facilities at these points allows partners to access vehicles and replace batteries while collecting orders, without making separate trips to charging stations or rental outlets.
The company said the rental facility will allow delivery partners to pick up electric vehicles at Instamart pods, with rental charges deducted from their payouts according to their preferences.
Swiggy Co-founder and Group CEO, Sriharsha Majety said the company wanted to remove everyday hurdles associated with EV adoption and make the transition fit naturally into delivery partners’ working routines.
The initiative is aimed at making electric mobility a practical choice rather than requiring delivery partners to reorganise their work around vehicle charging and availability.
Ecosystem partnerships to address adoption barriers
Swiggy Head of Corporate Affairs Neha Singhvi said EV adoption in last-mile delivery depended on several enablers, including affordable financing, reliable charging and battery swapping infrastructure, and supportive government policies.
She said collaboration between industry participants and policymakers would be important in developing solutions for delivery partners choosing electric vehicles.
The conclave recognised several ecosystem partners for their contributions to building EV infrastructure and expanding access to electric mobility. They included Indofast Energy, Yulu, Bounce Daily, RIDEV, Baaz Bikes, Motovolt, Shadowfax, BGauss Auto, Veelo Mobility, Hala Mobility and Yuma Energy.
Delivery partners who have adopted electric vehicles were also recognised at the event. They included Sajan Lal, Kamal Kumar, Avanish, Sandeep Gupta, Vijay, Ritik and Khurshid.
Bounce Co-founder and CTO Varun Agni said access to vehicles remained one of the biggest barriers for people entering delivery work. The partnership provides riders access to affordable electric vehicles along with battery-swapping infrastructure, potentially improving their daily earnings by reducing the time, effort and money spent on mobility.
An EV delivery partner, Umesh, said he rented an electric vehicle through the Swiggy app, with charges deducted from his payouts according to his preference. He added that battery swapping at Instamart pods made it easier to manage his working hours and complete more deliveries.
Government-industry collaboration
Addressing the conclave, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, said India’s growth depended on clean, efficient and affordable transport.
He said the adoption of electric vehicles by delivery partners could benefit their incomes, urban mobility and the environment, while emphasising the need for continued collaboration between the government and industry.
Swiggy’s initiative seeks to integrate EV access into the existing last-mile delivery ecosystem, addressing two important constraints for delivery partners — the upfront cost of vehicle ownership and the availability of convenient battery-charging infrastructure.
By placing rentals and swapping facilities within its operational network, the company is attempting to make electric mobility more accessible to delivery partners who may otherwise find the transition financially or operationally difficult