Zepto Partners Yulu To Electrify Its Hyperlocal Deliveries

Quick-commerce startup Zepto has partnered with electric mobility startup Yulu to move to an all-electric vehicle fleet for its last-mile deliveries.

This association will help Yulu expand in the hyperlocal delivery category in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurugram, while enabling Zepto to electrify its vehicle fleet and sustainably deliver products.

Since its inception in 2021, the quick-commerce delivery startup has partnered with several EV majors including Zypp, Howdyy, and Estimo with an aim to promote sustainable and cost-effective transportation. 

On the other hand, EV mobility tech company Yulu claims to have helped save over 20 Mn kgs of CO2 emissions to date by making urban commuting clean, inclusive & sustainable.

The electric two-wheeler mobility player, in a joint statement with Zepto, said it will deploy 20,000 next-generation shared DeX EVs for Zepto’s delivery partners. The companies also agreed upon promoting each other’s products and services across offline and online platforms as per the partnership.

With this strategic partnership, Zepto claimed, riders will be empowered to earn and save more and encourage more women to choose delivery as a profession.

“A majority of Zepto deliveries now are powered by environment-friendly vehicles. Partnerships like these not only help us further this effort but also help bring in a workforce by providing them with vehicles, thereby increasing employability,” said Vikas Sharma, COO of Zepto.

The partnership with Zepto comes at a time when Yulu has been rapidly expanding its product portfolio and scale in the past one year. 

From almost zero revenues at the onset of pandemic in 2020, Yulu claims to have ramped up its revenue 3X from pre-pandemic levels in September last year. Around the same time, the company also told Inc42 that it was targeting an annual run rate (ARR) of $6 Mn and operationalising 10,000 ebikes on Indian roads. 

It has also made a slew of launches, including Yulu DeX, targeted at the last-mile delivery space and Yulu Wynn to offer ebikes to customers on a subscription model. 

The collaboration comes amid a growing push from the government for cutting carbon emissions and EV adoption. As a result, several major startups, including Swiggy, Flipkart, and Zomato, have been adding EVs to their last-mile delivery fleets. 

Last month, Inc42 exclusively reported that Zepto is in advanced talks to raise $150 Mn in its Series E funding round at a valuation of over $1 Bn.