Haryana's Mandatory Shift to Electric Vehicles Triggers Caution Among Delivery Firms

Haryana's Proposed EV Mandate for Aggregators and Delivery Operators: Companies Assess Implications

The Haryana cabinet has approved amendments to aggregator licensing rules, which will require aggregators and delivery service providers operating in districts such as Gurugram and Faridabad to use green-energy vehicles from January 1, 2026. The move adds to regulatory pressure on petrol and diesel-powered commercial fleets in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Industry executives across the delivery ecosystem said the immediate impact on quick commerce may be limited because electric vehicle adoption has picked up significantly over the past few years. Several companies have already shifted toward EVs due to lower operating costs for riders. A majority of delivery workers are using EVs because they are more economical.

Table: Comparison of EV Adoption Among Quick Commerce Companies

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Companies such as Eternal, which operates Zomato, have seen a significant increase in active EV-based delivery partners. In its Q4 FY26 shareholder letter, Eternal said the number of active EV-based delivery partners on its platforms crossed 100,000 in March, up from 52,000 a year earlier. The company also said nearly 25% of its monthly active delivery partners in Delhi-NCR now make deliveries using EVs.

Other companies, too, have been expanding EV-focused delivery operations through partnerships with electric vehicle makers, battery-swapping firms, and fleet operators. Swiggy has partnered Bounce to deploy EVs for delivery workers, while quick delivery firm Zepto has worked with firms such as Battery Smart and Zypp Electric. Flipkart said in November 2025 it had doubled its EV fleet to more than 20,000 vehicles. Amazon recently said it operates more than 12,500 EVs across over 500 Indian cities as part of its broader logistics network.

Some restaurants in Gurugram have indicated that delivery disruptions were beginning to emerge amid confusion around fuel availability and enforcement. Industry executives, however, said delivery fleets differ materially from ride-hailing operations, where longer travel distances and higher vehicle costs can make electrification more challenging. In food delivery and quick commerce, shorter intra-city trips and dense delivery clusters have made EV economics more favourable for many riders.

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Companies are trying to understand whether the proposed EV mandate applies only to new vehicle inductions or eventually to the entire active fleet. The rules also raise several operational questions, including how they will be enforced, whether existing petrol-powered delivery vehicles will eventually need to be phased out, and how green-energy vehicles will be defined under the policy.