New Mobility Models & Services

Emerging companies in the transport industry are increasingly making their presence felt in the still undefined consumer market.

Furthermore, the integration of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, analytics, and machine learning, has put them in a superior technological position compared to their petrol or diesel counterparts.

This article will primarily:

• explain the new mobility models and services in detail
• explain what start-ups are offering in terms of new mobility models.

There are countries in the world that are already integrating new mobility models. One of them is India.

As India moves into a new era, innovative mobility models and services are emerging as key components that will pave the way for a more connected, greener and more efficient future. This article embarks on a journey through these transformative developments, highlighting the dynamic changes taking place in India’s transport ecosystem. The following sections provide examples of how India is implementing E-Mobility.

E-Mobility inside India – new mobility models and services

As India’s EV market approaches a critical point of price parity, Indian consumer interest in EVs is stronger than ever. Start-ups operating in various parts of the EV value chain, such as manufacturing, retail, battery replacement, and software services, are disrupting the current structure of the automotive industry.

Start-ups have identified the benefits of EVs and related services and have taken the lead in presenting these benefits to consumers, thereby facilitating their adoption. They are betting that the future is electric, as E-Mobility will help the country reduce carbon intensity and allow consumers to choose cheaper fuels.

EV being charged. Unsplash (2019)

Mobility models and services offered by start-ups in India

Micro-mobility

Micro-mobility provides short-distance travel services for one or two passengers at a time. It usually enables passengers to cover the first or last mile of a journey. For example, electric bicycles and scooters are among the most popular choices for micro-mobility as they are easy to use and provide an alternative to public transport.

Ride hailing

Ride hailing connects the customer with the service provider through a technology-based platform. It allows customers to book a taxi at their convenience and provides a source of income for drivers of private vehicles. To build this business model, you need to rely heavily on smartphone apps to enable the connection between customer and driver. For example., Ola and Rapido are popular transport services in Delhi.

Car subscription

You can offer your customers the experience of a private car while saving them the high upfront costs of car ownership. You can offer your customers a wide range of vehicle options to suit their needs, with the flexibility to choose the period they want. An example is Swytchd.

E-roaming

The e-roaming platform facilitates the connection between several charging station operators. It also allows reciprocal billing. If you are a customer of one of the connected companies, you can also charge your EV at points operated by many other companies. This requires standard protocols and interfaces. E-roaming allows charging points to enjoy improved capacity utilization and profitability, as they are available to customers and other providers. Vogo is an example.

Ride-sharing

This business model allows you to provide a platform to private non-commercial vehicle owners to share their rides with travelers whose destinations are on the same route. Lyft is one of these platforms.

Car sharing

This is a short-term car rental, either by the hour or by the kilometer, or a hybrid of the two. Car sharing can be roundtrip, where your customer is required to return the vehicle to the original pick-up point after use; one-way, where your customer can pick up and leave the vehicle at any authorized parking point; free-floating, where your customer uses the mobile app to find the nearest available car, uses it and then returns it to any location; or station-based, where your customer can only pick up and return the vehicle at designated rental stations. Mega Cabs is an example for car sharing.

Digital payment service

Mobility service providers generally partner with payment gateways to offer hassle-free cashless services. For EVs, payment services are mainly used for two purposes: for using an operator’s EV mobility service and for charging EVs. You can act as a payment service provider.

Conclusion

Start-ups are aware that the transition to EVs is inevitable as they are economical, convenient, and environmentally friendly, thus playing a vital role in the development of E-Mobility in India.

As of 2022, there are 399 EV start-ups in India.