Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has announced that it will deploy more than 25,000 electric vehicles by 2030. This is in line with Flipkart’s public commitment to transition to electric vehicles across its city logistics fleet and help set up charging infrastructure around delivery hubs and offices to fast track the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India. Flipkart has already started deploying 2-wheeler and 3-wheeler electric vehicles in multiple locations for delivery across the country, including in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati and Pune, to name a few.
Flipkart’s electric fleet will include 2-wheeler, 3-wheeler, and 4-wheeler vehicles designed and assembled in India, helping boost local innovation and economy. Flipkart has partnered with leading electric vehicle manufacturers, including Hero Electric, Mahindra Electric and Piaggio, for specific vehicles to be deployed for its first and last mile delivery fleet across the country.
Flipkart will also place requirements in service contracts, install charging infrastructure close to its 1,400 supply chain facilities, conduct awareness programs, and encourage delivery executives to use EVs.
Amitesh Jha, SVP Ekart and Marketplace, Flipkart said, “Electric mobility can benefit multiple ecosystem stakeholders, not just in e-commerce but in many other industries. Electrification of the logistics fleet is a key part of Flipkart’s larger sustainability goal and in line with our commitment to the Climate Group’s EV100 initiative. In this journey of making our logistics fleet completely electric by 2030, we will collaborate and work with leading local players to procure and deploy electric vehicles while supporting the required infrastructure growth. We understand the relevance of electric mobility in achieving both business and sustainability goals and are committed to paving the way for greater adoption of EVs across the country.”
Flipkart is strongly committed to environmental sustainability and has adopted a proactive and holistic approach towards conducting its business responsibly with optimum usage of natural resources. In this direction, Flipkart has, over the past year, worked towards creating a network of ecosystem partners across charging providers, skill development agencies, aggregators and OEMs.
Flipkart plans to use vehicles from three leading brands in the EV space.
Hero Electric Nyx series
The Nyx series (in both HX and LX variants) from India’s largest electric two-wheeler company is rugged, reliable and long-lasting, offering enhanced power and extended driving range of upto 150 kms per charge. This is one of the most widely used scooters for last-mile deliveries and other commercial uses. These vehicles have already been deployed through Flipkart’s logistics deployment partner in multiple cities across India, making thousands of deliveries across Kolkata, Guwahati and Bhubaneswar, to name a few. Says Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric, “Hero Electric is committed to its mission of “No Emission”, and over the last few months, we have been successful in transforming the last mile delivery solutions from ICE (internal combustion engines) to EVs. The partnership with Flipkart is a game-changer and will help transform a significant number of their fleet to EVs, and encourage the e-commerce industry to actively adopt electric vehicles.”
Mahindra Electric’s Treo Zor
The electric 3-wheeler is designed & developed in India with advanced lithium-ion batteries and connected solutions that help in efficient fleet management. Treo Zor offers a unique customer value proposition with best-in-industry power of 8 kW, best-in-class torque of 42 NM, highest-in-class payload of 550 kg, optimum range and the longest-in-industry wheelbase when compared with diesel and electric cargo 3 wheelers, making it one of the most stable and safe three-wheelers in the segment. Mahesh Babu, MD & CEO, Mahindra Electric Mobility, said, “We are happy to see that Flipkart has quickly adopted EVs in its fleet. Together, we are committed to providing a clean, sustainable and affordable last mile delivery solution with our Treo Zor across the country.”
Piaggio’s Apé E-Xtra FX
Piaggio’s electric 3-wheeler is designed to be the most powerful in its category with advanced battery technology and superior customer experience. Speaking on the association, Diego Graffi, Chairman & MD Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. said, “Apé, a brand with a trust of more than 30 lakh happy customers, is paving the way for the Indian electric revolution with the FX range of electric vehicles. The Piaggio Group has a rich heritage of developing electric technology over the last one & a half decades, and we are happy to partner with Flipkart in its journey to transition to electric mobility.”
As part of Flipkart’s commitment to following sustainable business practices across its value chain, the company has been driving several other initiatives over the years. These include reducing single-use plastic packaging in the supply chain. Flipkart’s waste management and energy efficiency practices, the increased use of renewable energy, and the recently achieved ISO 14001 certifications are all testament to its continuing efforts towards achieving sustainable operations.
