Eternal Reconsiders 2030 All-Electric Fleet Target as Zomato and Blinkit Expand

Eternal, the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit, is reconsidering its target of making 100% of its delivery fleet electric by 2030, acknowledging that the original deadline may no longer be achievable. The company remains committed to shifting towards cleaner transportation but is reviewing its timeline because of rapid business expansion, limited electric vehicle availability, affordability concerns and gaps in charging infrastructure.

Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer at Eternal, told PTI that the company’s delivery operations have expanded significantly since the target was established. Eternal now has approximately 12 lakh monthly active delivery riders across Zomato and Blinkit, compared with around 1.5 lakh monthly active riders on Zomato when the original target was set. The company is considering a revised deadline, potentially 2035, but has not announced a new commitment.

Why Eternal Is Reconsidering Its 2030 EV Target

Eternal’s original sustainability commitment was to facilitate 100% electric vehicle-based food deliveries by 2030.

However, the scale of its operations has changed considerably as Zomato expanded its food delivery business and Blinkit grew its quick-commerce network.

According to Kumar, the company cannot assess its electrification target only by looking at the percentage of delivery partners using electric vehicles. It must also consider the rapidly increasing number of people joining its delivery network.

She said the 2030 deadline does not look feasible under the current circumstances, although the company remains committed to electrification because it makes economic sense.

The revised target will also need to cover transportation across the wider Eternal group rather than focusing only on two-wheelers used for food delivery.

This includes vehicles used by Hyperpure, Eternal’s business-to-business supply platform, which relies on trucks and smaller commercial vehicles to transport products to restaurants.

The company is therefore working towards a group-wide target that considers different vehicle categories and operational requirements.

Eternal’s Delivery Fleet Has 12 Lakh Monthly Active Riders

The increase in delivery-partner numbers is one of the biggest challenges affecting the company’s original target.

When Eternal established its 2030 commitment, Zomato had approximately 1.5 lakh monthly active riders. The combined Zomato and Blinkit network now has around 12 lakh monthly active riders.

Kumar said the company needs to onboard approximately 30 lakh people annually to maintain its existing delivery-partner base.

This creates a major logistical challenge because new delivery partners must be able to access suitable vehicles across the company’s operating locations.

Business indicator	Reported figure
Monthly active riders when original target was set	1.5 lakh
Current monthly active riders across Zomato and Blinkit	12 lakh
Annual delivery-partner onboarding requirement	Around 30 lakh
Cities covered in the company’s example	Approximately 900
Original EV target	100% by 2030
Possible revised timeline	2035 under consideration

The company cannot guarantee that every new delivery partner will have access to an affordable and reliable electric vehicle across approximately 900 cities.

This is particularly important because delivery partners generally arrange their own vehicles rather than receiving them directly from the company.

EV Adoption in Eternal’s Fleet Is Already Above Market Levels

Despite the difficulties, Eternal said electric vehicle adoption among its delivery partners is higher than the broader Indian two-wheeler market.

According to Kumar, an earlier assessment conducted around December 2025 found that EV penetration in the wider market was approximately 6–7%.

Within Eternal’s delivery fleet, around 12–13% of partners were already using electric vehicles.

This indicates that EV adoption among its delivery partners was nearly twice the estimated market penetration at the time of that assessment.

The company is attempting to increase adoption through incentives and partnerships rather than making electric vehicles compulsory.

Its strategy focuses on improving affordability, access to rental vehicles and awareness of available electric two-wheelers.

Eternal believes that encouraging voluntary adoption can help delivery partners transition without creating additional financial pressure.

Financing and Charging Infrastructure Remain Major Obstacles

One of the most important challenges facing electric vehicle adoption is access to financing.

Many delivery partners do not have the credit history, income documentation or financial records required to obtain conventional vehicle loans.

This makes it difficult for them to purchase electric two-wheelers, even when the vehicles could reduce their daily operating expenses.

The lack of a well-developed resale market for used electric vehicles is another concern. Financial institutions may be reluctant to provide loans when the future resale value of the vehicle is uncertain.

Charging infrastructure also remains unevenly distributed.

Delivery partners need convenient access to charging points or battery-swapping facilities because their vehicles are used for long working hours and frequent trips.

Without a sufficiently developed network, riders may experience range anxiety or lose working time while charging their vehicles.

Kumar has previously identified financing, charging infrastructure and uncertainty over real-world vehicle range as major obstacles to faster electrification.

Blinkit and Quick-Commerce Operations Add Complexity

The expansion of Blinkit has introduced another dimension to Eternal’s electrification plans.

Unlike conventional food delivery, quick-commerce operations involve frequent deliveries from dark stores and warehouses. These facilities need suitable charging infrastructure for delivery vehicles operating throughout the day.

Installing charging or battery-swapping stations at warehouses can require additional electricity connections and higher sanctioned power loads.

Kumar has said that obtaining the necessary permissions to increase electricity capacity has not been straightforward in several locations.

Hyperpure adds another layer of complexity because its deliveries involve four-wheelers, including trucks and smaller commercial vehicles.

A group-wide electric fleet target must therefore account for different vehicle types, operating distances, payload requirements and charging needs.

This makes the transition more complicated than simply replacing petrol-powered delivery scooters with electric alternatives.

How Eternal Is Encouraging Delivery Partners to Adopt EVs

Although the company is reconsidering its deadline, it continues to support electric vehicle adoption through several initiatives.

Equal-benefit policy: Zomato provides delivery partners using electric vehicles with the same benefits as those using petrol-powered vehicles. This helps ensure that EV users are not financially disadvantaged because of their vehicle choice.

EV rental access: The company’s delivery-partner application provides access to rental options, allowing workers to use electric vehicles without purchasing them outright.

EV Bazaar: Eternal organises an annual EV-focused event to introduce delivery partners to different electric vehicle models and available options.

Charging and battery-swapping partnerships: The company works with ecosystem partners to improve access to charging points and battery-swapping facilities.

Financial and awareness initiatives: Eternal uses incentives, awareness programmes and collaborations with vehicle manufacturers to encourage adoption.

These measures are designed to make electric mobility more accessible while allowing delivery partners to choose vehicles based on their financial circumstances and working requirements.

Eternal Is Also Promoting Sustainable Packaging

Electric mobility is not the only part of the company’s sustainability strategy.

Eternal is working with restaurant partners to encourage the use of alternatives to plastic packaging through an initiative called PackSwitch.

The platform helps restaurants identify suitable sustainable packaging options based on the dishes they sell.

Kumar said the company is addressing three major barriers to adoption: complexity, convenience and cost.

Restaurants need access to affordable alternatives, reliable suppliers and practical guidance before switching away from conventional plastic packaging.

Through its Hyperpure business, Eternal sold more than 3,000 metric tonnes of sustainable packaging to approximately 50,000 restaurants during the previous year.

The company also said that more than 10,000 restaurants across over 400 cities had received Zomato’s low-plastic packaging tag after verification of their main-menu packaging.

These initiatives form part of Eternal’s wider effort to reduce the environmental impact of its food delivery and restaurant supply operations.

The Bigger Picture

Eternal’s decision to reconsider its 2030 electric fleet target highlights a broader challenge facing India’s delivery and mobility industries.

Electric vehicles can reduce fuel expenses and emissions, but large-scale adoption depends on more than the availability of vehicles. Financing, charging infrastructure, battery-swapping networks, resale markets and supportive government policies all influence the pace of transition.

The challenge becomes particularly significant for companies operating across hundreds of cities and relying on independent delivery partners who arrange their own transportation.

Eternal’s experience also shows why sustainability targets need to account for business growth. A delivery fleet can increase its EV penetration while still finding it difficult to achieve 100% electrification if the total number of riders expands rapidly.

The company’s revised approach could provide a more realistic framework for electrification across food delivery, quick commerce and business-to-business logistics.

Looking Ahead

Eternal is working towards a revised electric fleet target but has not confirmed a replacement deadline. A possible 2035 timeline remains under consideration and will depend partly on the expansion of EV policies, charging infrastructure and vehicle availability across India. The company also needs to account for four-wheeler deliveries through Hyperpure rather than focusing exclusively on electric two-wheelers.

For now, Eternal plans to continue increasing EV adoption through rental partnerships, financial incentives, charging access and awareness initiatives. Its existing fleet already has higher EV penetration than the broader two-wheeler market, but achieving complete electrification will require stronger support from vehicle manufacturers, financial institutions, infrastructure providers and government agencies.