Historically, the goal of mobility has been to achieve efficiency and speed. However, this narrative has now a clear societal context. Mobility solutions today need to be pro-people and pro-planet. Therefore, sustainable commuting choices that are low-cost, accessible and digitally smart are the need of the hour. Shared micro-mobility can help solve all these challenges from a social and economic perspective.
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Let’s understand how shared EV service providers like Yulu are helping cities achieve their sustainable mobility goals by offering a better alternative to traditional paratransit systems such as conventional autos, taxis, short-distance buses, mini-vans, etc.
Challenges of Paratransit Services in India
A lack of reliable and comfortable options for first and last-mile mobility remains a key obstacle in the utilisation of public transport systems in India. Paratransit in India is often characterised by overcrowding, long waiting times and, at times, expensive fares. Fare refusals by operators are common, and so are technological obstacles such as the lack of digital payment options or features like ride tracking.
Challenges like these end up forcing people to bypass paratransit and take their own vehicles to their destination. Unfortunately, this also ends up hurting the ridership or utilisation of mid-mile transport such as metros. A recent study by IIT-Delhi and Infravision Foundation found that the actual ridership of most Metro systems in India is 25-30% of the projected ridership. One of the many reasons for this would be the user-unfriendly nature of conventional paratransit today.
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In such a scenario, technology-based shared electric mobility is an ideal solution for organising paratransit and contributing towards a safe and greener future.
Yulu’s Solution for First and Last-mile Connectivity
Innovation is the key to unlocking the future of sustainable transportation. And shared EV platforms like Yulu are driving this wave of innovation by making transportation smooth, seamless, safe, accessible and convenient. Here’s how Yulus overcome many of the challenges of conventional paratransit modes:
Quick accessibility of the service: There are thousands of dedicated Yulu Zones (pick-up and dropping facilities) all over Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Gurugram, ensuring that these EVs remain easily accessible.
Round-the-clock availability of the bike: The bikes are available even during peak hours and in high-footfall regions such as metro stations or office parks. This can be a game-changer in the context of sustainable urban mobility.
Affordability for underserved segments: Yulu believes in an all-inclusive approach. Hence, it provides a new commute option, especially for underserved users. For instance, you can take a Yulu Miracle for a ride at just Rs. 2.5 per minute, Rs. 0.5 per minute during pauses, and a Rs. 5 base fee. On the other hand, the Yulu DeX, a bike built for last-mile deliveries, can also be rented for very affordable and flexible long-term rental packs.
No more fare refusal: Often people chase down rickshaws only to be turned away as they refuse to pay an unfair fare. With Yulu e-bikes, you don’t have to call any rickshaw or haggle over the pricing, just scan the QR code and start riding, everything is transparent at the touch of the smartphone screen.
No hassles of refuelling and maintenance: Quick battery swapping is core to Yulu’s vision of enhancing urban connectivity through convenient solutions. Gone are the days when you would wait desperately for hours to get your EV charged. With Yuma Energy’s (an associate company of Yulu) network of 120+ battery-swapping stations, users can ride in and swap their depleted batteries with fresh ones in a minute or so.
Furthermore, the company offers cost-effective battery subscription plans for those buying a Yulu Wynn, changing the perception of owning an EV.
No overcrowding and personal safety issues: Yulu bikes are self-driven vehicles, and are meant for single riders, hence, alleviating the strain on roads and parking spaces, resulting in smoother traffic flow and less congestion. Further, there are no safety issues since these bikes come with bright automatic headlamps for riding at night.
Moreover, the bikes are monitored in real-time via GPS and are powered by IoT and AI for streamlining service calls, predicting mechanical issues, and enhancing maintenance and ride performance. All this lets you enjoy a glitch-free, seamless and safe riding experience.
Non-polluting: Yulu’s shared EVs are noiseless and significantly less-carbon-emitting vehicles that contribute to quieter and pollution-free urban mobility.
Smarter way of riding: Smartphone integration is vital to modern automobiles. Here, your smartphone is your electronic gateway to the Yulu experience. On the Yulu app, one can see information regarding ride status, payments, battery charging status, and much more. Your smartphone also lets you access historical ride information, message the customer support team, and get alerts and safety notifications via the same app.
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Government Policy Vision for Shared Mobility Ecosystem
Governments worldwide and in India are trying to strengthen last-mile connectivity with various initiatives. In 2017, India’s first public bike-sharing systems were launched in Mysore, Bhopal and Pune. More recently, the Prime Minister-eBusSewa aims to deploy 10,000 e-buses for city operations. Transport authorities in cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore have also partnered private sector players to roll out electric scooter and moped services at various public locations.
Governments are quite serious about new-age mobility vehicles that are eco-friendly and cost-effective for people. With the support of the government, tech companies like Yulu have been able to penetrate deep into metro cities and plan to scale this shared-mobility ecosystem further.
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Envisioning a Greener Tomorrow with Yulu
Yulu, with its unique approach towards shared mobility, is an ideal eco-friendly and convenient solution for a diverse population. Yulu’s shared EVs complement public transport systems, contributing to smoother and more accessible urban mobility, especially for those who do not own vehicles.
So, hop on board and be part of the movement towards a greener future. Embrace shared EVs and pave the way for a more sustainable tomorrow.
FAQs
Q1: What are the benefits of shared EVs?
A: Users who want a vehicle without incurring major expenses or undertaking long-term commitments in the form of loan repayments and maintenance costs will find immense benefits in shared EVs. Yulu Miracle and Yulu Dex are some of the best examples.
Q2: How do shared EV platforms help meet vehicular demand and supply?
A: Shared EV platforms use advanced IoT, AI and machine-learning tools to meet vehicular demand with supply, especially in high-footfall zones. This also helps develop infrastructure like pickup/drop-off zones and battery-swapping stations.
Get your Yulu ride today. Download the Yulu app below!