Rapido to deploy 10,000 electric autos with 2-minute battery swaps
Leading Indian ride-hailing platform Rapido has announced a strategic partnership with IndoFast Energy. The collaboration will see the debut of 10,000 Piaggio electric autos (E-City Max) with batteries that can be swapped in two minutes, across India over the next two years. The move comes as part of Rapido's commitment to bolster its electric vehicle offerings and promote eco-friendly mobility.
Initial deployment in southern India
The first phase of this project will target major cities in southern India, such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Rapido hopes to have some 1,000 electric vehicles on the road by December this year. Ultimately, the idea is to have about 20% of Rapido's daily rides running on these swappable electric autos.
Successful pilot project and battery-swapping technology
The partnership comes after a successful pilot project in 2023 across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi. The project integrated IndoFast Energy's swappable battery technology with Rapido's platform. The system permits drivers, or "captains," to quickly swap out the depleted batteries at designated stations in under two minutes, eliminating downtime and ensuring seamless operation.
Expansion of battery-swapping stations
IndoFast Energy, a joint venture of Indian Oil and SUN Mobility, has already set up more than 100 swap stations in Hyderabad and 200 in Bengaluru. The company intends to expand its infrastructure further by establishing 10,000 battery-swapping stations in 40 cities of India, over the next three years. This pay-per-use model allows drivers to pay only for the energy consumed during every swap.
