When you order meals via the Zomato app, you might get a notification that reads, “Your meals is being delivered on an EV.” That is a part of Everlasting’s pledge in the direction of totally electrifying its meals deliveries by 2030.
Behind this transition is an advanced roadmap—one with many transferring components, in contrast to the electrical automobile itself. The Zomato guardian’s chief sustainability officer, Anjali Ravi Kumar, is spearheading this motion. With prior stints at Unilever and KPMG, Kumar shouldn’t be new to the sustainability ecosystem.
Underneath her management, Zomato has deployed round 37,000 EVs as a part of its supply fleet. Moreover, Blinkit has deployed 50,000 EVs, and 20% of all HyperPure orders are glad utilizing an electrical automobile.
The corporate has a three-pronged technique steering its electrification efforts—consciousness, partnerships, and advocating for insurance policies that fast-track electrical adoption.
In an interview with YourStory, Kumar outlines the corporate’s efforts to affect its deliveries, addresses the challenges current within the ecosystem, and explains how Zomato bought the concept of electrical autos to its supply companions.
Edited excerpts:
YourStory [YS]: What drew you to the sector of sustainability, and the way’s your journey been to date?
Anjali Ravi Kumar [ARK]: Sustainability wasn’t actually seen as a profession path till a few decade in the past. I began out at Dalberg, a boutique consulting agency centered on social affect, the place I labored with organisations together with the World Financial institution and ADB on inclusive enterprise methods in India.
That led me to Unilever, the place I joined to work with private care manufacturers on purpose-driven programmes. I deeply imagine that manufacturers carry emotional weight, and when used proper, they’ll drive actual affect. One among my first tasks was constructing an upskilling platform for Honest & Beautiful (now Glow & Beautiful) customers, geared toward younger ladies throughout South Asia. The platform, launched earlier than the rise of edtech in India, reached over one million ladies and supplied free programs in partnership with gamers like edX and English Edge.
That have confirmed me how tech generally is a highly effective instrument for social good, which is what drew me to Zomato. Right here, the affect is huge—over 400,000 supply alternatives are created month-to-month, supporting casual staff throughout city India. With Blinkit, the attain is even higher.
I additionally lead efforts to cut back our environmental footprint—one thing Zomato dedicated to even earlier than going public. It’s an organization that takes each its social and environmental tasks severely, and that’s what retains me invested.
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YS: EVs are an enormous a part of Zomato’s last-mile technique. Are you able to stroll me via the transition to EVs—what drove it, and the way massive is the fleet immediately?
ARK: Since our whole supply community runs on two-wheelers owned by gig staff, we knew we couldn’t meet our local weather objectives with out serving to them shift to EVs.
Our aim is to allow 100% EV adoption by 2030. It is formidable, however we imagine it advantages everybody—supply companions can earn extra, ladies can enter the workforce via easier-to-ride low-speed EVs, and our operations change into extra environment friendly with issues like battery swapping and fast-charging networks.
To make this occur, we comply with a three-part technique. First, we give attention to consciousness—each on-line and thru offline occasions like EV Bazaar, the place 1,000+ companions confirmed up.
Second, we’ve constructed deep integrations with rental fleets. Supply companions can now hire EVs via the Zomato app in 400+ cities. In cities like Bengaluru, over 25% of deliveries are already on EVs.
The third piece is coverage. The EV ecosystem in India continues to be in its early phases and wishes critical assist on financing, charging infra, after-sales service, and automobile portability. We actively have interaction with policymakers to verify supply companions’ actual wants are mirrored in EV insurance policies.
Right this moment, we’ve got about 37,000 EVs on Zomato alone, and whenever you embrace Blinkit, that quantity goes as much as 50,000. On the B2B facet, 20% of HyperPure deliveries—which provide to each Blinkit shops and the HoReCa (accommodations, eating places, and catering) sector—are accomplished on EVs as nicely, primarily utilizing L3 and L5 class autos.
YS: How have partnerships with OEMs sped up the EV rollout?
ARK: We’ve partnered with just about each participant on the market who has related EV stock. What we’ve discovered from supply companions is that this: those that are used to driving high-speed ICE bikes naturally desire high-speed EVs. And lots of need to check out a automobile earlier than shopping for, so high-speed choices matter.
That mentioned, low-speed EVs have their very own attraction too, particularly for brand spanking new entrants or these doing shorter journeys. We deliberately work with a mixture of companions to supply each high- and low-speed EVs, relying on what fits the supply accomplice greatest.
YS: With so many EV OEMs rising in India, how do you guarantee the fitting autos can be found to supply companions via the app?
ARK: We’re very selective about what EVs we make obtainable to supply companions. First, we take a look at the claimed vary—ideally 140 km, however a minimal of 100 km is non-negotiable. Then we consider market suggestions, since many bikes have already been examined on the bottom by companions. We additionally check autos ourselves to make sure high quality and efficiency.
Early on, we noticed points with sure imported bikes that weren’t suited to supply, so we’re cautious about repeating that. We additionally consider whether or not the rental worth is economically viable for companions and assess after-sales service, breakdown charges, and OEM assist networks. For the reason that EV house continues to be evolving, some insights solely come post-deployment, however we’re continually refining via suggestions and testing.
YS: How do you pitch an electrical automobile to a supply accomplice? What’s the hook?
ARK: We lead with what issues most to supply companions: gas financial savings. That’s the largest hook. The second is consolation—EVs are quieter, smoother, and sometimes simpler to deal with. These two advantages constantly resonate probably the most.
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Zomato has deployed round 37,000 EVs as a part of its supply fleet
” align=”heart”> Zomato has deployed round 37,000 EVs as a part of its supply fleet
YS: Some supply companions have shared considerations about battery life. How do you tackle vary anxiousness and construct belief within the EV transition?
ARK: When a supply accomplice has a nasty expertise with an EV, it’s vital that it doesn’t bitter their view of all the class. That’s the place we step in—we work intently with OEMs which have dependable service networks and hearken to suggestions.
Supply companions usually lack entry or time to escalate points. We will take their suggestions on to OEM decision-makers and push for enhancements—whether or not it is about battery reliability or one thing as primary as dwelling charging entry, which many companions haven’t got in the event that they dwell in dorms or shared housing.
We see our function as a bridge, advocating for supply companions and serving to form the ecosystem round their actual wants.
YS: Because you accomplice with a number of OEMs, how do you determine when to drag it off the platform if their autos are underperforming?
ARK: We deal with underperformance from any OEM like we’d with any vendor—there’s a transparent suggestions loop. We first talk considerations and provides them an opportunity to enhance. But when the hole is simply too broad or persistent, we do finish the partnership.
Earlier than onboarding any OEM, we clearly set expectations—from vary and sturdiness to multi-purpose use (since many supply companions additionally use the automobile personally). The automobile should be capable of deal with real-world Indian situations—warmth, rain, highway stress—and be dependable sufficient for on a regular basis gig work.
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YS: There’s plenty of debate round battery swapping vs conventional charging. What have you ever noticed on the bottom, and what works greatest for Zomato’s use case?
ARK: We’ve taken a technology-neutral stance as a result of in a rustic like India, each battery swapping and charging must coexist. Swapping works nicely when the community is dense and batteries are standardised—however that’s nonetheless evolving. Quick charging, then again, has its personal clear advantages.
Given the size and variety of our operations, it’s not about one versus the opposite. We imagine there’s ample room for each fashions to develop, and it’s too early to name which is able to dominate.
YS: What suggestions have you ever acquired from supply companions in regards to the shift to EVs? How has the transition impacted their day-to-day expertise?
ARK: Most supply companions utilizing EVs immediately are on rental fashions, which work nicely, particularly for migrant staff. It provides them flexibility, permitting them to begin deliveries the day they arrive in a metropolis and return the automobile simply after they depart. There’s no upkeep trouble, and onboarding is fast.
Companions have shared that EVs are straightforward to make use of, and those that personal them have undoubtedly seen gas financial savings. However for a lot of, the long-term worth—like possession advantages—will take extra time to totally assess.
YS: Renting EVs can eat right into a supply accomplice’s financial savings over time. Is there any construction in place to assist them ultimately personal their very own autos?
ARK: Proper now, EV financing continues to be a piece in progress. We’re partnering with a number of NBFCs to assist supply companions finance and ultimately personal EVs, but it surely’s not straightforward. Many companions lack the formal documentation or credit score historical past wanted to qualify.
So sure, possession is the aim—however to get there, we want much more innovation and suppleness in how financing is structured for gig staff.
YS: As you’re employed towards full electrification by 2030, will Zomato ultimately discourage new supply companions from utilizing ICE autos?
ARK: We’re already actively speaking the advantages of EVs to all supply companions, no matter whether or not they use one immediately. Occasions like EV Bazaar are open to everybody, and the concept is to introduce the expertise in a means that matches their lives and priorities.
On the finish of the day, supply companions are right here to earn for his or her households, typically supplementing day jobs with evening shifts. So we method this transition with empathy, not enforcement. Our job is to make EV entry as seamless as attainable via straightforward leases, supportive insurance policies, and higher economics.
We’re cautiously optimistic that by 2030, EVs will naturally change into the smarter, cheaper alternative. We expect new companions will probably be extra open to EVs as fashions enhance and the general proposition turns into extra compelling.
Edited by Kanishk Singh
