Taking the emissions out of food delivery
Every day, hundreds of thousands of drivers navigate India’s cities and towns delivering orders placed on Zomato, the food ordering and delivery platform operated by Zomato Limited. When it comes to the choice of vehicles for delivery, the balance is tipped unfavourably towards petrol-fuelled two-wheelers: electric vehicle (EV) alternatives simply don’t have the same availability or market penetration yet.
Zomato, the first food ordering and delivery service company to join EV100, is finding ever more innovative ways to bridge the gap: it partners with EV rental agencies to provide its delivery partners (DPs) with offers and discounts, supports DPs’ access to loans through tie-ups with financial service providers, and runs innovative awareness-raising campaigns.
In September 2024, more than 1,000 DPs from across Delhi attended a special event: a Zomato EV Bazaar, where they could learn about the benefits of electric vehicles and what kind of support might be available to them to make the switch. EV-bike makers and rental companies displayed models and offered test rides to DPs.
Zomato has organised more than 200 such events to date. Its wide-ranging awareness-raising campaign aims to help speed along the company’s transition to 100% EV-based deliveries by 2030. More than 200,000 DPs were made aware of the benefits of EVs via digital and offline communication campaigns between April 2023 and March 2024 including via a dedicated YouTube channel, Zomato Delivery Partners, where DPs can watch engaging videos on the benefits of EVs.
Innovative rental models and support help boost EV driving
Many DPs face barriers in accessing loans to buy EVs. That’s why the company believes the fastest way to get more DPs to go electric is through innovative rental models.
Partnerships with more than 50 EV rental agencies play a critical role in closing the access gap to EVs. Through a special feature in the delivery partner app, DPs can access rental deals, alongside rent-to-own schemes, and a dedicated EV helpline has been created whereby DPs can call to make enquiries regarding where and how to access an EV on rent, and available offers.
Last-mile delivery emissions on a per-kilometre basis are down 9.4% in FY24 as compared to FY22.
As a result of Zomato’s proactive approach, EV-based food deliveries have increased four-fold in financial year (FY) 2023-2024 as compared to FY 2022-2023: in FY24, Zomato’s total EV-based food deliveries totalled 61.6 million orders. The company’s fleet of EV riders grew to 27,884 in FY24 – twice as many as in the year before. Collectively, its EV riders helped Zomato avoid 3,180 tonnes of Scope 3 C02e emissions during the financial year 23-24.
“As a member of Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, Zomato has pledged to facilitate 100% EV-based deliveries by 2030. Our EV programme uses four levers to facilitate this transition. Firstly, we enhance delivery partner awareness on EVs suited for delivery purposes and benefits of using EVs for delivery, through online and in-person activations.
Secondly, we improve access to EVs on rent for delivery partners through tie-ups with over 50+EV rental companies. We recently launched a digital referral tool that allows them to seamlessly view available rental options directly via the delivery partner app at no cost to partner or bike provider. Thirdly, we utilize EV-based logistics service providers who provide end-to-end EV-based delivery services. Finally, we support ownership of EV bikes through collaboration with financial service providers. These actions to build and influence the ecosystem to support EV adoption are our most important climate change mitigation initiatives as over 80% of Zomato’s emissions are from last-mile deliveries also known as Scope 3 downstream transportation and distribution” - Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato Limited
Launched in 2010, Zomato’s mission is better food for more people. Zomato is a food ordering and delivery service company, which operates a B2C technology platform that provides customers with a seamless, on-demand solution to search and discover local restaurants, order food, and have it delivered reliably and quickly. Zomato joined EV100 in June 2021, committing to transition to 100% electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. At the start of FY24, the company set itself the goal of achieving Net Zero emissions across its food delivery value chain by 2033.