Eicher unit to provide electric trucks for Amazon India's delivery ops

Collaboration will introduce 1,000 zero-emission electric trucks for Amazon's delivery work in 5 years

Eicher Trucks and Buses, a division of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), on Wednesday announced it will collaborate with Amazon for the electrification of the e-commerce firm’s delivery operations in India.

Amazon will gradually deploy 50 Eicher electric trucks in Delhi, Manesar, Gurugram and other places for its middle-mile and last-mile deliveries. The collaboration will introduce some 1,000 zero-emission electric trucks across various payload categories into Amazon’s delivery operations over the next five years. The trucks will be deployed through Amazon’s transport service partners.

Eicher’s electric trucks have deck lengths ranging from eight to 24 feet and are equipped with customised cargo stacking configurations. They have fast- and slow-charging options depending on the needs of specific operations. Servicing for the truck considers charging infrastructure, operational requirements and battery capacity.

"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 solution and developing a zero-emission transport ecosystem," said Vinod Aggarwal, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of VECV.

"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 (electric vehicles) into our delivery fleet in India by 2025," said Abhinav Singh, vice-president of customer fulfilment, Amazon transportation services, global specialty fulfilment, and supply chain at Amazon India.

“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,” said Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha, advisor to Niti Aayog.