IPO-bound food delivery app Swiggy launches XL EV fleet for bulk orders

Swiggy's new XL fleet includes 20 specially designed electric vehicles that cater to large orders

IPO-bound food delivery platform Swiggy launched its bulk order ‘XL’ fleet on Saturday which will cater to its large orders efficiently.

The XL fleet, so far, has executed meal deliveries starting with dinner on October 4 and continuing with breakfast and lunch on October 5.

The announcement follows Swiggy’s recent introduction of ‘Bolt’, a rapid delivery service for meals and beverages, currently available in select cities. The XL fleet has been undergoing a pilot run for several weeks and includes around 20 specially designed electric vehicles. Its formal launch in Gurugram marks a significant step in increasing Swiggy’s operational capabilities.

The launch also coincides with the Haryana Assembly elections. Assembly election results will be announced on Tuesday, October 8. To commemorate the launch and the elections, Swiggy’s XL EV fleet delivered 3,500 meals to electoral officials across more than 580 polling booths in the Gurugram and Badshahpur constituencies, offering this service free of charge to the District Administration. A move that simultaneously shows the company support to its local community and showcases the operational readiness of its new fleet.

Sidharth Bhakoo, national business head of Swiggy Food Marketplace, emphasised the role of food delivery services in promoting growth within the food and beverage industry.

“We are witnessing a growing demand for bulk orders, especially during festive occasions when families and friends gather. The launch of Swiggy XL comes at an ideal time to ensure that celebrations remain uninterrupted, allowing for timely delivery of large orders,” Bhakoo said. He confirmed that the service will soon expand to additional cities.

Earlier this year in April, Zomato introduced its own large order fleet aimed at efficiently handling sizable requests for gatherings and events. CEO Deepinder Goyal said that the idea for the new fleet stemmed from logistical issues in the past which involved multiple delivery agents for large orders. This method has also led to unsatisfactory customer experiences. He’s optimistic that the new vehicles would significantly improve service delivery for bulk orders, noting that Zomato is continuously evolving this feature by incorporating enhancements like cooling compartments and temperature-controlled hot boxes.