1 week ago
Eternal Reconsiders 2030 Target for Fully Electric Deliveries
Eternal, formerly known as Zomato, wants more delivery workers to use electric vehicles.
It had hoped all deliveries would use electric vehicles by 2030.
The company now says that goal may be difficult to reach.
Many delivery workers need loans to buy vehicles, but getting those loans can be hard.
Charging stations and battery-swapping points are not yet common enough.
Some people also worry that electric vehicles may not travel as far as promised during heavy delivery work.
Eternal says its own electric-vehicle use is higher than the average on Indian roads.
The company is working with vehicle and charging businesses to help delivery workers.
It also says government policies are needed to improve financing, electricity access and infrastructure.
Eternal is re-evaluating its goal of making 100% of deliveries electric by 2030.
The company says its own EV penetration exceeds 12%, compared with about 6% across public roads.
Financing, limited credit access, uncertain resale values and range concerns are slowing adoption.
Charging and battery-swapping infrastructure, along with power and permission requirements, remain major obstacles.
Eternal is seeking broader policy support while partnering with charging, rental, battery and vehicle companies.
- Who
- Eternal, formerly Zomato, and its chief sustainability officer Anjali Ravi Kumar discussed the company’s electric-delivery plans.
- What
- Eternal is reconsidering its target of making 100% of deliveries electric by 2030.
- Where
- India, including Eternal’s delivery and quick-commerce operations.
- When
- The target year is 2030; the interview does not specify when it was conducted.
- Why
- Financing difficulties, limited charging and battery-swapping infrastructure, permission requirements, delivery-partner growth and uncertainty about vehicle performance are slowing the transition.
Key facts
- Company
- Eternal, formerly known as Zomato
- 2030 target
- Make 100% of deliveries electric
- Eternal EV penetration
- More than 12%, according to Anjali Ravi Kumar
- Estimated public-road EV penetration
- About 6%, according to the company’s internal and other estimates
- Main financing barrier
- More than 50% of India needs a loan to buy a two-wheeler, while many delivery partners lack required paperwork or credit history
- Infrastructure barriers
- Charging and battery-swapping stations are not widespread, and permissions to increase sanctioned power capacity can be difficult to obtain
- Company initiatives
- Eternal partners with charging, battery-as-a-service, rental and vehicle companies and runs an annual EV bazaar
Quotes
Anjali Ravi Kumar
Chief sustainability officer at Eternal
“We are re-evaluating the goal. We have found the transition to be far more challenging than we imagined. There are several reasons. On the ground, faith in the technology is not at the level where we can confidently say this is going to transition to 100% by 2030. Delivery-partner growth has also outpaced expectations, with more part-timers coming into the system. So we are now thinking of maintaining a multiple of what is on the roads.”
financialexpress.com
“There is no doubt about it, and it needs to happen at multiple levels. It is not just about bike models or cheaper batteries. It is about real estate and power distribution, whether the physical infrastructure exists to keep these vehicles charged and whether permissions can be obtained to build it. It is also about who will lend delivery workers the money to buy an EV.”
financialexpress.com
Sources
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