E-commerce changed last mile transport needs: Altigreen

Kolkata: The explosion of e-commerce following the pandemic has not only changed shopping habits in cities across the country, it has also redefined the concept of last mile delivery with the need to transport packages that are big in size rather than weight. And this has neutralized the advantage that diesel-powered vehicles had over e-vehicles by way of their haul more goods.
“With the emergence of high volume, low weight categories like e-commerce, fruits, vegetables, medicines, white goods distribution, retail and others, tonnage is no longer the only critical criteria in these categories.How much cubic feet (cft) of goods a vehicle can carry is as important, if not more. There is a strong need to move out from diesel options in three-wheeler and four-wheeler segment to make ways for clean, efficient, reliable and low-cost EVs in intracity commercial transportation,” said Altigreen CEO Amitabh Saran.
A home-grown EV manufacturer, Altigreen has developed a range of cargo 3-wheelers in Delhi, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and Coimbatore. It has now tied up with Mahindra Logisitics Ltd to enter the Kolkata market.
Saran claimed the vehicles that were developed by Altigreen were rugged with the largest battery in the segment that provided a laden range of 120-125 km on a single charge. “The vehicles are capable of carrying 550-600 kg of cargo and offers 177 cft. The vehicles can travel at 53kmph and are perfect for last mile transport of goods,” he said.
Over the next nine months, the company is looking to expand to 25 cities and adjoining towns.
The other players in EV three-wheeler goods transport segment are: Piaggio, Etrio, ETO and Kinetic.
“EVs are a preferred clean technology for the future of mobility. As one of the first movers and as market leaders in the EV cargo space, Mahindra Logistics is developing an electric ecosystem for last-mile delivery, supporting both fulfillment and B2C logistics. Our partnership with Altigreen reiterates our commitment towards reducing carbon footprint very significantly while delivering efficient and cost-effective supply chain solutions to our customers,” said Mahindra Logistics Ltd MD and CEO Rampraveen Swaminathan.