Bengaluru - March 16, 2026: Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, today released “The Last-Mile Leap: Empowering Delivery Fleets to Accelerate India’s Electric Mobility Transition,” a white paper based on insights from a survey of more than 6,000 Wishmasters (delivery partners) across India. The report examines the readiness of India’s last-mile logistics workforce to adopt electric vehicles (EVs), while outlining the ecosystem changes required to enable large-scale electrification of delivery fleets.

The whitepaper was unveiled at Flipkart’s EV Mela in Bengaluru ‒ a dedicated event convening OEMs, financiers, and delivery partners to explore practical pathways for EV adoption. V.P. Ramesh, Secretary of the Regional Transport Authority, Bengaluru Urban, joined the event as Guest of Honour, speaking with riders about the opportunities associated with transitioning to a cleaner and more sustainable mobility future.

The initiative reflects Flipkart’s broader commitment to transition its entire last-mile delivery fleet to electric vehicles by 2030 as part of its EV100 pledge.

Strong Interest in EV Adoption Among Delivery Partners

The study indicates significant interest in EV adoption among delivery partners. Approximately 46% of respondents expressed willingness to transition to electric vehicles, signalling strong readiness within the workforce. However, adoption remains limited today, with 94.3% of delivery partners currently relying on petrol-powered two-wheelers. The findings suggest that the gap between intent and adoption is primarily driven by structural barriers rather than behavioural resistance. Among the key challenges cited by delivery partners were:

● High upfront vehicle costs (26.6%)

● Limited EV availability in certain geographies (22.8%)

● Concerns around range and performance (17.8%)

● Charging access (14%)

● Performance reliability (11.8%)

● Servicing and lifecycle support (7%)

Operational Patterns Align with EV Capabilities

The research also highlights that delivery operations in India are well aligned with the capabilities of electric two-wheelers currently available in the market.

Nearly 29% of delivery partners reported travelling between 40–60 kilometres per day, while another 21.8% travel between 60–80 kilometres daily. These travel patterns fall within the operating range of most electric two-wheelers, even under stop-start urban delivery conditions. Fuel costs also represent a significant operational expense for riders, with nearly 90% of surveyed delivery partners spending between ₹2,000 and ₹5,000 per month on petrol.

“Sustainability at Flipkart is about creating a value-led ecosystem that benefits the planet and the people who power our platform. For delivery partners, vehicle choice is ultimately an economic decision. Electric vehicles have the potential to significantly reduce operating costs while improving income stability. At the same time, last-mile delivery represents one of the most practical segments for electrification given its high utilisation and urban footprint,” said Nishant Gupta, Head of Sustainability, Flipkart Group. “Our experience shows that when ecosystem enablers, from financing and charging infrastructure to servicing support, come together, EV adoption can scale quickly while delivering both livelihood and environmental benefits.”

Industry research referenced in the whitepaper suggests electric two-wheelers can reduce fuel and energy costs by up to 70-80%, while lower maintenance requirements may translate into 15-20% improvements in delivery partner income.

Last-Mile Delivery as a Strategic Opportunity for Electrification

The whitepaper highlights that last-mile delivery fleets represent one of the most efficient entry points for accelerating India’s EV transition. High-frequency urban routes, short travel distances and high vehicle utilisation mean that electrifying delivery fleets can disproportionally reduce emissions and generate economic savings per vehicle compared to private passenger vehicles.

Providing an industry perspective, Divya Sharma, Executive Director - India, Climate Group, said, "Globally, high usage fleet segments have led the transition to electric mobility. Urban last-mile delivery sits squarely in this category. With the right ecosystem support to this segment, including financing, charging infrastructure and delivery-ready vehicles, India can accelerate EV adoption.”

Ecosystem Collaboration Key to Scaling Adoption

The whitepaper emphasises that electrifying delivery fleets at scale will require coordinated progress across multiple parts of the EV ecosystem. Key enablers identified in the research include:

● Innovative financing models, such as leasing and low-cost loans, to reduce upfront costs

● Charging-as-a-service models tailored to delivery hubs and logistics facilities

● Delivery-optimised EV designs that address payload and durability needs

● Structured training and onboarding programmes for delivery partners

● Lifecycle assurance mechanisms, including servicing networks and battery health tracking

The launch of the white paper by Flipkart during its EV Mela in Bengaluru facilitated ecosystem collaboration, bringing together leading EV manufacturers, including TVS, Bajaj, Hero, Motovolt and Ampere, alongside financing institutions such as IDFC and Flipkart’s NBFC partners.

The event enabled delivery partners to explore EV models, understand financing options and engage directly with ecosystem partners, helping address many of the barriers highlighted in the research. The EV Mela also introduced Flipkart’s “EV Pioneers” digital recognition badge to celebrate and incentivise early adopters among its delivery workforce, further integrating sustainability into the cultural fabric of the digital economy.

As India works toward its 30% EV penetration target by 2030, the whitepaper highlights the critical role that high-utilisation segments such as last-mile delivery can play in accelerating adoption. By aligning financing, charging infrastructure, vehicle design and workforce support, the report notes that last-mile electrification can become one of the fastest pathways to scaling electric mobility in the country.

Read the complete white paper on Flipkart Stories here.

About the Flipkart Group

The Flipkart Group is one of India’s leading digital commerce entities with a strong technology-first foundation and includes group companies Flipkart, Myntra, Flipkart Wholesale, Cleartrip, and super.money. Established in 2007, Flipkart has enabled millions of sellers, merchants, and small businesses to participate in India's digital commerce revolution. With a registered user base of more than 500 million, Flipkart’s marketplace offers over 150 million products across 80+ categories. Today, there are over 1.4 million sellers on the platform, including Shopsy sellers. With a focus on empowering and delighting every Indian by delivering value through technology and innovation, Flipkart has pioneered services such as Cash on Delivery, No Cost EMI, Easy Returns, and UPI payments. Beyond shopping, Flipkart continues to create jobs, empower entrepreneurs, and strengthen India’s digital economy. For media queries, please write to: media@flipkart.com