Anjalli Ravi Kumar, the Chief Sustainability Officer of Zomato, now a part of Eternal, revealed significant advancements in sustainable delivery methods at BT India’s Most Sustainable Companies Summit 2025. Electric vehicles (EVs) now make up more than a fifth of Zomato’s Delhi deliveries now electric and a quarter in Bengaluru. Nevertheless, despite this drive for more environmentally friendly operations, there are still obstacles in persuading delivery partners to switch to electric vehicles and more general problems with equipment and infrastructure availability.

Electric Vehicle Adoption in Deliveries

More than a fifth of Zomato’s Delhi deliveries are now electric, according to Anjalli Ravi Kumar, and this change aligns with the business’s sustainability objectives, and Eternal is looking at creative ways to facilitate this move. Although not an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the firm conducts pilots to provide EV charging and battery switching at Blinkit’s dark stores. These programs address logistical issues like charging accessibility to make EV adoption more feasible for delivery partners. Noting that these initiatives are a step towards lowering the carbon impact of Zomato’s operations in India’s main cities, Kumar underlined the positive developments.

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Barriers to EV Adoption

Kumar noted that despite the advancements, there are still significant obstacles in persuading delivery partners to convert to electric vehicles. Many are wary because of range anxiety and the perception that EVs are unreliable, especially given their sporadic lifestyles. She pointed out that most delivery partners, who prioritise dependable transit that works anywhere, are only available to Zomato 47 days a year, with 50% of them being migrants and 20% being students. Convincing them to switch to electric vehicles is still a “tough challenge.” Yashika Singh, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Sustainability Head at PepsiCo added to the conversation by pointing out that a significant obstacle is the absence of necessary equipment. Singh emphasised the value of collaborations and exhorted businesses to communicate their need for more customised EV solutions to OEMs. Despite increased government backing for the industry, she also pointed out a disconnect between customers’ desire to adopt ecological practices and their financial capacity to purchase EVs.

Kumar and Singh’s observations highlight the difficulties of switching to electric deliveries. Although Eternal’s initiatives in Bengaluru and Delhi appear promising, there are still issues with equipment shortages and delivery partners’ hesitation. Scaling EV adoption in the delivery industry will require addressing these challenges through targeted incentives, infrastructure development, and smart partnerships.

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