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Bike, auto, and cab aggregator platform Rapidohas partnered with IndoFast Energy to roll out 10,000 Piaggio’s swappable e-autos—E-city Max—across the country in the next 24 months.

IndoFast Energy is a 50-50 joint venture of IndianOil and SUN Mobility.

The partnership between Rapido and InfoFast aims to add over 1,000 electric vehicles (EVs) to the country’s public transport system by December this year, starting with the southern cities, including Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Rapido and IndoFast Energy launched a pilot in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi in 2023 to integrate IndoFast’s swappable battery technology into Rapido’s platform, improving EV accessibility and efficiency.

Following the pilot’s success, over 100 battery swap stations have been set up in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, helping auto captains reduce downtime, according to a statement. Rapido now plans to use swappable electric autos for about 20% of its daily rides.

“This partnership with IndoFast Energy allows us to significantly enhance our EV offerings on the platform, aligning with our commitment to sustainability,” said Pavan Guntupalli, Co-founder of Rapido.

“By introducing swappable electric autos operated by our Captains, we’re not only reducing the carbon footprint but also empowering our drivers with sustainable earning opportunities, setting a new benchmark for the ride-hailing industry,” he added.

IndoFast Energy plans to expand its eco-friendly EV refuelling services by offering faster, cheaper, and more convenient swap stations for depleted batteries. Its pay-per-use model allows users to pay only for the energy consumed.

It plans to deploy over 10,000 stations across 40+ cities in three years. It is also exploring high-speed premium two-wheelers and retrofitted three-wheelers in partnership with Rapido.

“Our partnership with Rapido marks a key milestone in our effort to make commuting more sustainable and accessible. This joint initiative is a direct result of the success of the pilot we started with Rapido almost a year back. We will now expedite our deployment across India including in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai to make this initiative a great success,” said Anant Badjatya, CEO, Indofast Energy.