Bijliride and Indofast Energy Partner to Expand Battery-Swapping for EV Rentals

Electric mobility platform Bijliride has entered into a partnership with Indofast Energy to integrate battery-swapping infrastructure into its B2C rental operations, the companies announced on Monday, in a move that signals growing momentum around shared electric mobility in Indian cities.

Indofast Energy, a joint venture between state-owned IndianOil Corporation Limited and SUN Mobility, operates over 1,484 swap stations across 23 cities in India and processes more than 3.5 million battery swaps per month. Under the partnership, Bijliride's customers will be able to replace depleted EV batteries at these stations within minutes, reducing the time vehicles spend off the road between rides.

Hyderabad will serve as the initial launch market, with expansion planned to Bengaluru, Pune, and Chennai over the next 12 to 18 months. Bijliride said it plans to deploy several hundred electric two-wheelers in the first phase, with fleet size expected to grow in line with user demand.

The partnership targets three operational pain points that have been persistent challenges in EV rental businesses: charging downtime, vehicle availability, and slow turnaround during peak hours. Battery swapping, unlike conventional plug-in charging which can take several hours, allows a depleted battery to be exchanged for a fully charged one in a matter of minutes. For fleet operators, this can significantly improve vehicle utilisation rates and reduce idle time — factors that directly affect unit economics.

Bijliride's app will serve as the primary customer access point, offering a range of plans including daily and weekly rentals, subscription packages aimed at gig workers, and longer-term arrangements for users who prefer not to own a vehicle. The platform positions itself at the intersection of urban commuting and last-mile connectivity, catering to individual riders as well as delivery and logistics workers who rely on two-wheelers for daily income.

Shivam Sisodiya, CEO and Co-Founder of Bijliride, said the partnership was centred on making electric mobility more practical and accessible. "By reducing downtime and improving availability, we are delivering a more reliable experience while accelerating our B2C growth," he said.

Battery swapping has gained traction in India as an alternative to fixed charging infrastructure, particularly for two- and three-wheelers used in last-mile delivery and ride-hailing. One of the structural advantages of the model is that it allows operators to separate the cost of the battery from the vehicle itself. Since batteries account for a significant portion of an electric vehicle's price, this separation can lower the upfront barrier for both fleet operators and individual buyers, making EV adoption more financially accessible.

SUN Mobility, one of the partners behind Indofast Energy, has been among the early companies to build shared battery infrastructure at scale in India. Its collaboration with IndianOil, which has an extensive network of fuel retail outlets across the country, has allowed Indofast to position swap stations at high-traffic, easily accessible locations — an advantage for operators like Bijliride that depend on quick turnaround times.

The broader context for this partnership is a market that is still in early stages. Electric two-wheeler penetration in India has been rising, supported by government incentives and falling battery prices, but range anxiety and the availability of charging or swapping infrastructure remain concerns for many potential users. Partnerships that combine vehicle access with energy infrastructure are increasingly being seen as a way to address both sides of the adoption problem simultaneously.

For Bijliride, the tie-up with Indofast represents an effort to build operational reliability into its rental model before scaling further. For Indofast, adding a B2C rental platform to its roster of partners extends the use case for its network beyond delivery fleets and commercial operators, broadening the base of daily swaps across its stations.