Eicher, Amazon collaborate to scale electric truck deployment in India
Partnership to introduce up to 1,000 electric trucks across categories for Amazon’s delivery operations over five years.
Eicher Trucks and Buses, a business division of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV - a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors Limited), has announced a collaboration with Amazon to further enable the electrification of its middle-mile and last-mile delivery operations in India.
The collaboration between VECV and Amazon aims to introduce up to 1,000 zero-emission electric trucks across various payload categories into Amazon’s delivery operations over the next five years, deployed through Amazon’s transport service partners.
As a first step in the collaboration, Amazon will deploy 50 Eicher electric trucks in major hubs like Delhi, Manesar, and Gurugram over the coming months. Eicher’s electric trucks featuring advanced digital capabilities will be built on Eicher's established electric vehicle platform already in operation in bus applications.
The trucks with deck lengths ranging from approximately eight to 24 feet will come equipped with customised cargo stacking configurations. Fast and slow charging options will be provided to meet the needs of specific operations. The service solution also factors in availability of charging infrastructure, operational requirements, charging time constraints, battery capacity, and overall energy management strategies of the fleet.
Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director and CE, VECV says: "We are pleased to collaborate with Amazon as we begin pilots for Amazon’s e-commerce deliveries in Indore, Delhi, Manesar, and Gurugram. This partnership reflects our commitment to promoting smart sustainable solutions and developing a zero-emission transport ecosystem."
Abhinav Singh, VP, Customer Fulfilment, Amazon Transportation Services, Global Specialty Fulfilment, and Supply Chain at Amazon India adds: "We are proud to work with key partners to lead the way in the electrification of a wide range of vehicles within our delivery operations. At this scale, there is no established playbook for fleet transformation but we are making progress through collaborations like this one to transform our network. We remain committed and are well on our way to integrate 10,000 EVs into our delivery fleet in India by 2025. We continue to invite fellow innovators and solution providers in the electric mobility and sustainable transportation space to join us in accelerating decarbonisation of the logistics industry."
“The collaboration between Amazon and VECV marks a significant milestone in the collective effort to decarbonise freight transportation, heralding a pivotal step in advancing electric mobility in India. As an integral part of our e-FAST program, this partnership promises to yield invaluable insights for the broader electric mobility sector in the country. By embracing such initiatives, we pave the way for a sustainable and environmentally conscious future”: says Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha, Adviser, NITI Aayog.
Aligning with its efforts to promote use of electric mobility in its network across the country, Amazon has successfully deployed EVs in its delivery fleet through delivery service partners across more than 400 cities in India.