Q: What do you see are the challenges with EV adoption especially in the logistics and last-mile delivery sector?

First, procurement of good quality vehicles on lease is a challenge that we have faced with disruptions to the global supply. Next, it is the range and performance issues. A manufacturer might be claiming a mileage of 150 kilometres on a single charge but the drivers in your fleet might be driving for just 60–80 kilometres and exhausting their battery. This is not a problem of range or performance; it is actually rooted in the drivers’ inability to achieve the required mileage by driving in the right manner; we need to train drivers on how to optimise EV performance and EVIFY is doing that.

Next is the challenge of the battery. In the logistics sector, the battery plays an important part with respect to range and vehicle up time. With the various technologies, chemical combinations, and offerings available today, there needs to be research as to what are the safest, cleanest, and most cost-efficient battery solutions available for the logistics sector. This will help reduce emissions and promote EV adoption.

Q: EVIFY Logistics is a young startup in this space and India’s EV growth story is thriving. With that in mind, do you have any asks of the policymakers?

We acknowledge government support but there is need to acknowledge — through initiatives like Shoonya — that logistics and the corporate sector at large are one of the fastest ways to scale up EV adoption in the country. This further creates visibility of EVs on the roads which serves as a consumer awareness opportunity and thus, makes EV adoption even faster. As a company with 100 percent electric fleets, we would appreciate it if the state-level subsidies in Gujarat could also be availed by corporations, further providing a helping hand from the government in addition to the FAME subsidies.

Further, we hope in the coming days that the ambiguity in electric vehicle insurance will also be addressed through government intervention.

Q: How important do you see EVIFY’s role for a Shoonya India?

The belief for a Shoonya India is rooted in our company’s name. EVIFY wants to inspire the world and the consumers to have electric vehicles. EVs are one of the simplest ways to help the environment. I will say this again, with 100 percent electric fleets we are promoting Shoonya’s goal of zero-pollution mobility. That is how the role of EVIFY and other corporations is equally important in this journey.

Q: What are EVIFY’s future plans to aid India’s transition to a clean mobility economy?

We believe in the adage, slow and steady wins the race. Currently, we are planning a phase-wise expansion starting with a pilot project in Surat, Gujarat, to understand sector hindrances better and develop better rapport with the stakeholders and improve the allied utilities and software. We are installing smart charging points for our fleet’s up-time that are just 6x6 inches in size and that is what we have planned for now.

Q: What more do you expect of Shoonya? How can we drive #ShoonyaKaSafar?

When it comes to Shoonya, we see it not only as a platform for various EV segment companies to come together but also as an enabler. By segment companies we mean the financiers, the vehicle manufacturers, roadside assistance providers, the insurance sector, and the charging infrastructure providers, and we must further develop synergies with these companies. For EV-driven intracity logistics, roadside assistance plays a very important role. We see Shoonya not just as a platform but as an enabler, an enabler providing access to OEMs, better financing networks, better partnerships, and collaborations through access and information about like-minded partners of the cohort.