Electric ride-hailing startup BluSmart plans to add 4,000 new Citroën ë-C3 electric vehicles to its fleet next year, taking on app-based taxi aggregators such as global giant Uber.
BluSmart, which operates in Delhi NCR and Bengaluru, currently operates around 7,000 electric vehicles. Its fleet mainly consists of Tata Motors Tigor EV and some units of MG Motor's ZS EV and BYD's e6.
Unlike Uber and homegrown company Ola, the electric taxi operator follows a pre-booking model that ensures passengers are picked up on time.
On Monday, BluSmart signed an agreement with Citroën to install 4,000 units of French automaker Stellantis' ë-C3 over the next 12 months. The Citroën ë-C3, which ARAI says offers a range of 320 kilometers, will join BluSmart's growing electric vehicle fleet.
On an average, a BluSmart taxi makes about eight trips per day, with the average revenue per trip being 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 patron.
The fleet expansion comes at a time when Uber and Ola's fleets are aging and customers complain about dilapidated cars and frequent cancellations.
Commenting on the partnership with Citroën, Jaggi said: “With a shared vision of achieving net zero mobility and ensuring high standards of automotive safety, Citroën is the ideal partner for BluSmart. With the mission to decarbonize mobility at scale, we are committed to building a comprehensive electric mobility ecosystem in India, including the country’s largest all-electric ride-hailing service and an extensive network of superhubs for charging electric vehicles.”
“As more OEMs turn to electric mobility and our fleet grows, we are ready to meet the growing demand for ride-hailing in megacities while offering drivers a diverse selection of advanced electric vehicles,” he added.
“The launch of these electric vehicles was facilitated by Assure by BluSmart, a unique opportunity for retail and institutional investors with access to capital to finance the transition to electric mobility. Through Assure, institutions can finance the purchase of electric cars and lease them to BluSmart in exchange for fixed rents,” explains Jaggi.
The first 125 units of the Citroën ë-C3 were unveiled by Jaggi and Citroën brand director Shishir Mishra from the BluSmart electric vehicle charging superhub in Bengaluru.
“This collaboration between Citroën and BluSmart represents a shared vision for a sustainable future in electric mobility and reinforces our commitment to shaping a cleaner and greener transport ecosystem. “The ë-C3’s intelligent design, range, fast charging capabilities and….” “The intuitive technology is both comfortable and practical, making it an attractive proposition for passengers and fleet operators,” says Citroën India’s Mishra.
Recently, BluSmart signed a multi-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Tata Power Trading Company Ltd. (TPTCL) for the procurement of green electricity was completed. This makes BluSmart the first mobility provider in India to transition from zero exhaust emissions to a zero-emission company.
