'More than fifth of Zomato's Delhi deliveries through EVs': Chief Sustainability Officer Anjali Kumar

Zomato's (now Eternal) Chief Sustainability Officer, Anjalli Ravi Kumar, said that more than a fifth of their deliveries in Delhi are through electric vehicles (EVs). In Bengaluru, over one-fourth of the company's deliveries are on EVs, she added. Her comments came during BT India's Most Sustainable Companies Summit 2025. 

She also mentioned that despite not being an OEM, Eternal is running pilots to offer charging and swapping at Blinkit's dark stores. 

"Cities like Delhi, for instance. More than one-fifth of our deliveries are through EVs. In Bengaluru, One-quarter of our deliveries are on EVs. So, we are super encouraged. We are running pilots to offer charging and swapping at Blinkit dark stores," she commented. 

Even though Eternal is embracing EVs, it is a challenge for the delivery partners to adapt to the new mode of transportation, as per Kumar. She mentioned that the delivery partners are hesitant to try an EV. 

"There are three ways in which we try to get delivery partners to switch to EVs, and it is a very tough challenge. Most of them will work with us only for 47 days of the year. 50 per cent are migrants, 20 per cent are students. They want a bike that's reliable anywhere they go. Therefore, how do we persuade them to try an EV and overcome their range anxiety?" she said. 

Weighing in on Kumar's comments, PepsiCo's Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Sustainability Head Yashika Singh said that the lack of availability of the required equipment is a big issue and that partnerships are the way to go. 

In Singh's words: "I think it is a 3-way process. The first is, those of us on this side should give a demand signal. We need to go out there and give a signal to the OEMs," she explained. 

She said that companies should demand EVs in accordance with their requirements. Singh also mentioned that there is a lot of government support for the electric vehicles sector. "There is a gap between the consumer's purpose-driven intent and ability to pay," she said.