Electric ride-hailing startup BluSmart plans to add 4,000 new Citroën ë-C3 electric vehicles to its fleet over the next year as it takes on app-based cab aggregators including global giant Uber.
BluSmart, which operates in Delhi NCR and Bengaluru, runs around 7,000 EVs currently. Its fleet mostly comprises Tata Motors Tigor EV and a few units of MG Motor's ZS EV and BYD's e6.
Unlike Uber and homegrown Ola, the electric-taxi operator follows a pre-booking model that ensures on-time pick up of passengers.
On Monday, BluSmart signed an agreement with Citroën to onboard 4,000 units of Stellantis-owned French automaker's ë-C3 over the next 12 months. The Citroën ë-C3, which offers a range of 320 kilometres as per ARAI, will augment BluSmart's growing fleet of EVs.
On average, a BluSmart cab does about 8 trips per day with average revenue per trip at around ₹400, Anmol Jaggi, co-founder and CEO of BluSmart, told Fortune India last year.
BluSmart rents its cars from several EV leasing companies including Gensol Engineering, which counts the BluSmart founder as a promoter.
The fleet expansion comes at a time when Uber and Ola have seen their fleet get older, with customers complaining about run-down cars and frequent cancellations.
Commenting on the partnership with Citroën, Jaggi says, "Having a shared vision of achieving net-zero mobility and providing high standards in safety of automobiles, Citroën is the ideal partner for BluSmart. With the mission to decarbonise mobility at scale, we are dedicated to constructing a comprehensive EV mobility ecosystem in India, encompassing the nation's largest all-electric ride-hailing service and an extensive network of EV charging superhubs."
"As more OEMs embrace eMobility, and our fleet expands, we are poised to address the burgeoning demand for ride-hailing services in megacities while offering riders a diverse range of advanced EVs," he adds.
"The onboarding of these EVs was facilitated through Assure by BluSmart, a unique opportunity for retail and institutional investors with access to capital to help finance the transition to electric mobility. Through Assure, institutions can finance the purchase of electric cars and lease them to BluSmart against fixed rentals," Jaggi explains.
The first 125 units of Citroën ë-C3 were flagged off by Jaggi and Shishir Mishra, brand director Citroën from BluSmart's EV charging superhub in Bengaluru.
"This collaborative effort between Citroën and BluSmart signifies a shared vision for a sustainable future in the realm of electric mobility, reaffirming our commitment to shaping a cleaner and greener transportation ecosystem. The ë-C3’s smart design, operational range, fast charging capabilities, and intuitive technology, are both comfortable and practical, making it an attractive proposition for passengers and fleet operators," says Citroën India's Mishra.
Recently BluSmart entered into a multi-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Tata Power Trading Company Ltd. (TPTCL) to source green power, making BluSmart the first mobility player in India to transition from zero tailpipe emissions to a zero-emissions company.
