Reliance Industries has forayed into the electric vehicle (EV) space, with its fuel retailing joint venture with UK energy firm BP signing an agreement with Swiggy to deploy EVs for the food delivery platform, the companies said on Thursday.
Reliance BP Mobility (RBML) said it aims to be India’s largest network of battery swapping stations by setting up “multiple thousand” stations over the next five years at its fuel retail outlets, other commercial and residential locations.
“Leveraging BP’s global learnings in electrification, RBML is setting up a robust and sustainable infrastructure comprising of EV charging hubs and battery swapping stations, offering digitally-enabled services to all stakeholders,” Harish C Mehta, chief executive, RBML, said in a statement. He said the company “is committed to creating an ecosystem that will help accelerate adoption of EVs” to support the government’s vision.
RBML has tied up with Swiggy to start trials for a project to deploy EVs that will be supported by Jio-bp’s network of battery swap stations and Swiggy’s network of delivery partners. The Reliance-BP fuels and mobility business operates under the ‘Jio-bp’ brand.
Jio-bp will initially set up battery swapping stations at various locations, assisted by Swiggy, and provide all required technical assistance and training to Swiggy delivery partners and designated staff related to battery swapping.
The food delivery platform said it will procure EVs from RBML and rent them out on a monthly basis to partners. RBML will install battery swapping stations every few kilometres in New Delhi and Bengaluru, it added.
The battery swapping model cuts down the time required to charge an EV and improves efficiency.
SWIGGY’S E-CYCLE TIEUP
Swiggy on Thursday also said it has partnered with electric cycle manufacturer Hero Lectro and a last-mile delivery player in the UK, Fast Despatch Logistics, to enable end-to-end delivery through cargo e-cycles.It has begun trials in Bengaluru, New Delhi and Hyderabad.
“Today’s announcement comes on the back of almost two years of pilots, during which Swiggy explored various models to determine what would make EV adoption easier and more profitable for its delivery partners,” it said.
The Bengaluru-based company has committed to covering deliveries over 800,000 km everyday through electric vehicles by 2025.
“Transitioning to EVs is an important step in this direction,” said Sriharsha Majety, chief executive, Swiggy. “It will have a positive impact, not only on the environment but also empower our delivery partners to earn more.”
Making deliveries through EVs is expected to lower the vehicle running cost of its delivery partners by up to 40%, the company said.
https://m.economictimes.com/industry/renewables/ril-bp-forays-into-battery-swapping-for-evs-with-swiggy-tieup/amp_articleshow/85081758.cms
