Bengaluru, 24 February 2021: Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, on Wednesday 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.
The e-commerce platform has partnered with 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. The company 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, "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". He further said, "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."
Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric said, "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."
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."
Speaking on the association, Diego Graffi, Chairman & MD Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. said, "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.
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