There is no doubt about the fact that ordering anything online is fun. The sheer convenience of it all makes the experience engaging and one that we indulge in quite often. While it started off with apparel, books, and electronics, online shopping has seamlessly stepped into even the most minute activities of our day. From groceries to medicines, everything can and is being delivered right to your doorstep.
But have you ever peeked behind the curtain to see how your goodies are being delivered? Delivery trucks and vans dominate the roads to get everything to everyone on time. This undoubtedly contributes to both traffic on the road as well as carbon emissions from these vehicles.
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Electric cars are really in the spotlight, with regulating bodies all over the world pushing for fleet electrification and carbon neutrality being the hot subject. However, a new type of electric fleet has arisen in recent years: micro-mobility, in the shape of electric bikes and scooters. Since the e-bike fleet is now actively a part of last-mile delivery operations for many brands, the need for an e-bike fleet management system has also come up.
What is e-Bike or Electric Bike Fleet?
Delivery bikes are already a typical sight on our metropolitan streets. Biker deliveries range from takeout to medical supplies and are best suited to heavily crowded urban regions. The inclusion of an electric motor increases their utility and the probability that they will be a vital part of tomorrow’s logistics system. Electric bikes and scooters – the name says it all! They are electric-powered scooters and bikes developed to be ridden around cities.
They are required for electrifying the final leg of delivery operations and are also appropriate for short-distance commutes. They not only take up less space on our highways, but they also emit no greenhouse gases. These bikes make up the e-bike fleet.
What caused a surge in micro-mobility vehicles?
Prior to the introduction of e-bikes and scooters, India was renowned as a two-wheeler mobility nation. After electric vehicles became popular, there was a noticeable shift in EV producers. Micro-mobility or electric two-wheelers are the ideal alternatives in the current public transportation situation to satisfy the transportation needs of the country’s increasing degree of environmental pollution and population growth.
Electric scooters or bikes are common in the micro-mobility industry. In other words, these two-wheeled vehicles are outfitted with a rechargeable and replaceable battery. By introducing more electric vehicles, the micro-mobility vehicles industry influenced the Indian automobile market. One of the primary drivers of this transition was the rapid increase in air and noise pollution in major cities.
Another factor contributing to an increase in total pollution levels in India is the country’s growing urbanization. This has led to an increase in air pollution, affecting the air quality in most major cities. The rapid process of urbanization has also put significant strain on public transportation, forcing many upper-middle and upper-class families to acquire more than one car. Automobiles are the primary source of air and noise pollution.
This is where micro-mobility, with its underlying range of intelligent vehicles, comes in handy. Furthermore, in order to encourage the expansion of the micro mobile industry, the Indian government has implemented a number of environment-friendly incentive schemes. These measures have accelerated the acceptance and production of electric vehicles in India.
How transitioning to an e-bike fleet can grow your business?
Although electric vehicles were considered a niche market for a long time, the growing population and pollution have paved the way for wider adoption. Fleet businesses are now transitioning to electric bikes to avail of the following benefits:
- Starting off with the most obvious, the operation of electric bikes reduces operational costs by a great deal.
- The government also provides various incentives and subsidies to businesses employing environmentally friendly practices.
- Owing to their small structure, bikes are less likely to be stuck in traffic and therefore end up saving a lot of time and money for your fleet.
Things to Consider when Leveraging your e-Bike Business Model
Many operators find the switch to electric vehicles to be a daunting endeavor. With so many models available, it might be difficult to decide which one best meets your needs and budget. Here are a few tips to help you leverage micro-mobility technology.
- The first stage is to learn about local grid capacity or reliability, followed by comparing performance between different EVs, analyzing focus areas such as price range versus efficiency vs mileage each charge cycle to ensure you make an informed decision.
- Fleet managers will desire an EV rollout strategy that reduces costs while increasing management benefits.
- Avoid large-scale adoption at once to avoid putting your drivers and management under pressure.
- Make sure you undertake the necessary technical work ahead of time for whatever type of charging infrastructure may be required later on to avoid any surprises during installation.
- It is also very helpful if your employees are trained by EV vendors or dealers; this way, all employees can handle questions easily without having someone’s job change unexpectedly due to a lack of experience specifically related to EVs.
What are the constraints of an electric bike fleet?
E-bikes are popular options, but they are not without drawbacks.
- Inexperienced riders endanger themselves and others, and because other road users are not yet accustomed to the existence of e-bikes and scooters, riding them on roadways can be dangerous.
- Owing to their small size, keeping track of them can be a tedious task.
- Since charging infrastructure is not fully developed, it can be quite difficult to plan a route where re-charging is readily available.
How can e-bike fleet management system solve the concerns?
As we’ve highlighted above, there are some serious concerns to consider while adopting an e-Bike fleet. However, the right electric bike fleet management system can address those issues quite properly.
- As for dangerous driving, fleet management systems come with a driver scorecard feature. You can use this to identify problem areas and drivers that fail to comply with traffic rules.
- With the right fleet management solution, you can monitor the live location of all the electric bikes in your fleet.
- Lastly, the route planning feature of fleet management software will help you identify the route where recharging stations are available and your bikes will not be left stranded in case of a low battery situation.