How to Run a 30-Day EV Pilot for Your Delivery Fleet
The fastest way to settle the EV debate inside your company is a properly run pilot. Thirty days is long enough to see real rider behaviour and short enough to keep momentum. Here is a plan that works for delivery fleets in Delhi NCR.
Before day 1: set it up
- Pick one hub. Choose one with steady volume and at least one battery swap station within a few minutes.
- Size the batch. Enough scooters to cover a full shift pattern at that hub, typically 10 to 30.
- Choose a control group. Petrol riders at the same or a similar hub, for comparison.
- Agree on metrics (below) and who records them.
- Set up batteries. Riders subscribe to Battery Smart or Mooving before handover.
Week 1: onboarding
Expect a dip. Riders are learning swap timing and the scooter's handling. Do a 20-minute briefing at handover covering where the stations are, swapping before the peak and basic daily checks. Collect feedback at the end of the week.
Weeks 2 and 3: steady state
This is your real data. Track daily:
- Orders or drops per rider per shift
- Kilometres per rider
- Swaps per rider and time spent swapping
- Breakdowns and downtime
- Rider attendance
Week 4: decide
Compare EV riders with the control group on cost per order (scooter rent plus swap plan plus servicing, against fuel plus servicing plus rent or EMI) and on productivity. Use the EV vs petrol calculator for the cost side. Then talk to the riders. Their willingness to stay on EVs is the strongest signal you will get.
After the pilot
If the numbers hold, roll out hub by hub rather than all at once, and switch petrol vehicles as their rentals or loans come up. Consider lease-to-own for your best riders.
Lilypad starts every new fleet with a pilot batch from our Noida hub, anywhere in Delhi NCR. Request a pilot quote.