Swedish furniture maker, IKEA, opens its first store in India at Hyderabad and embarks on a new sustainability plan to make deliveries via electric vehicles. While IKEA tried test runs with logistics partner GATI for deliveries, the store has procured e-rickshaws from Gayam Motor Works, Hyderabad, for conducting its door delivery service.
These e-rickshaws will be charged at the store using 4,000 solar panels installed on the roof of the building while the excess power will be used to light up the store.
Apart from its store in Hyderabad, IKEA also plans stores in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore where e-rickshaws will also be used for delivery purposes. The Swedish company is keen to be a part of India’s EV growth strategy and is currently in talks with various OEMs across the country for this purpose.
IKEA is also a part of the EV100 initiative by The Climate Group gearing up for electric transportation by 2030. It is under this initiative that IKEA is introducing electric vehicles for delivery and also planning electric buses for transportation of its employees.
Electric vehicle charging stations have already been set up. The IKEA store in India is among a total of 30 countries where IKEA stores will be electrifying its fleet and expects its partner companies as well.
These e-rickshaws sourced from Gayam Motor Works, Hyderabad have been developed with a Li-Ion battery. As compared to diesel rickshaws which have running cost of Rs 3.50 per km, these e-rickshaws offer running cost of 50 paise per km. The company exports its e-autos and e-bikes to 15 countries across the globe. The company was founded by Rahul Gayam and his brother Raja in 2012. Rahul recently featured in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia 2018 list.
