Beyond Commute: Empowering People via Last Mile Mobility

India’s urban mobility landscape is witnessing a rapid shift as electric vehicles redefine the last mile – not just as a commute, but as a gateway to opportunity. From students navigating narrow lanes to daily wage workers accessing previously unreachable jobs, and from e-commerce deliveries to vegetable vendors expanding their customer base, last-mile mobility is becoming the heart of urban transportation. This article explores how cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi are leading this transformation, the dual growth in passenger and small commercial space, the supporting role of infrastructure, and the challenges that need policy-level attention. At its core, the story of last-mile Electric Vehicles (EVs) is not just about vehicles – it is about ‘Inclusion’, ‘Empowerment’, and the ‘Future of how India moves’.

The Rise of Last-Mile Mobility in India

India’s urban transportation ecosystem is undergoing a quiet yet powerful transformation. In cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Lucknow, etc., the streets are beginning to echo with the hum of last-mile electric vehicles, marking a pivotal shift in how people and goods navigate the final stretch of their journeys. Once overlooked, this segment is now emerging as a lynchpin in our urban mobility landscape—driven by necessity, empowered by technology, and aligned with the nation’s sustainability goals.

What makes this change so remarkable is not just its scale or speed, but its inclusive, grassroots-driven character. Much beyond convenience, it offers larger benefits like access, equity, and empowerment.

Electrifying the Last Mile: Two Segments, One Revolution

The last-mile mobility boom in India is largely dominated by EVs, and spans across two key categories: passenger transport and commercial delivery. Both are playing a crucial role in reshaping the way India moves economically, socially, and ecologically.

1. Passenger EVs: Mobility as Empowerment

The surge in electric passenger vehicles particularly three-wheelers, e-rickshaws, and compact two-wheelers, has dramatically altered the landscape of short-distance urban travel. These vehicles now form the backbone of the ‘first-and-last-mile’ connection, especially from metro stations and bus stops to homes, offices, schools, and marketplaces.

Passenger carriers cater to three key segments:

• Students in Narrow Urban Lanes
  In cities like Varanasi or parts of Old Delhi, where roads are too narrow for larger vehicles, small electric rickshaws offer a lifeline for students commuting to school. These quiet, nimble vehicles can manoeuvre through tight lanes safely, giving parents peace of mind and children reliable access to education.
• Office-goers Using Public Transport
  Metro and suburban rail systems are efficient, but only part of the solution. What happens after commuters exit the station? There is, of course, public transport available, shared commuting options available. But for thousands of office workers, EV-based ride services help cover that crucial last leg. This segment has seen a notable rise in shared, affordable options that reduce dependence on personal vehicles.
• Daily Wage and Unorganised Workers
  Perhaps the most transformative impact has been on daily wage earners, domestic helpers, street vendors, and others in the unorganised sector. Many workers previously walked long distances due to a lack of affordable transportation. With the rise of low-cost electric rides, they can now reach work on time, explore job opportunities farther from home, and still return early enough to care for their families. In essence, mobility has become a tool of livelihood and social mobility (pun intended).

2. Smaller Commercial EVs: Powering Local Economies

Beyond moving people, EVs are enabling small and micro-businesses to operate more efficiently. The growth in electric commercial vehicles—especially 2 and 3-wheeler cargo EVs—has been instrumental in hyperlocal logistics and doorstep services.

Take the case of a vegetable vendor in Jaipur. He receives a dozen small home delivery orders every morning. Using a compact electric two-wheeler, he can fulfil more orders, with quicker turnaround, and without relying on external delivery partners. His team is happier, operations are faster, and the overall service has become more dependable.

But this trend isn’t limited to informal sectors. Even fleet-based operations in logistics, e-commerce, cloud kitchens, and pharmacy delivery services are adopting electric mobility to reduce costs, meet sustainability mandates, and ensure faster service in dense urban zones.

Beyond the Obvious: The Growth of Intra-Zone Mobility

Not all last-mile movement is about getting to or from work. 

There are growth opportunities in some of the overlooked sectors. For example, one can see that in some cases, in larger campuses—be it residential complexes, factories, entertainment parks, hospitals, or corporate campuses—electric golf carts, people movers, and custom EVs are offering solutions for short-distance travel within enclosed spaces.

These use cases might seem niche, but they are vital and can be explored further. 

In a mall or hospital, an elderly person or a pregnant woman may depend on such vehicles for mobility. In large factories, electric carts improve workforce movement and efficiency. These internal transit solutions are low-speed, low-noise, and often rechargeable within the premises, making them ideal for sustainable intra-zonal transport.

Infrastructure: The Unseen Backbone of Last-Mile Mobility 

Since the last-mile mobility is being largely driven by EVs, the infrastructure requirement becomes critical to extract the maximum benefit out of this developing practice. After all, it is helping in economic growth and enabling several individuals to explore newer options to generate a livelihood.

Despite the remarkable growth, several challenges persist, many of which require systemic planning and policy support. (Reader to note, that these use cases are not so much impacted by limited range of EVs)

• Easy and Quick Charging Points: The proliferation of convenient, fast-charging infrastructure is crucial for the sustained growth of last-mile EVs. Strategic placement of charging points in high-traffic areas, residential complexes, small kirana shops and chemists to large commercial zones can significantly boost EV adoption and usage. Battery swapping stations and solar-powered charging hubs could further give a boost to adoption of last-mile mobility solutions.
• Dedicated Lanes and Parking Bays: As the last-mile mobility adoption increases, the roads mustn't get jammed with these EVs. Most cities lack clear lanes or bays for low-speed cyclists and pedestrians anyway, and these newer vehicles should not lead to congestion and safety risks. Urban planners must integrate EV zones into smart city frameworks.
• Maintenance and Service Networks: As more electric vehicles hit the roads, there is an urgent need for professional maintenance services, availability of parts, and trained mechanics.
• Quality Regulation: With the influx of new manufacturers in the EV space, particularly for low-speed, low-cost vehicles, stringent quality checks are vital. Ensuring safety without stifling innovation should be the focus.

Building for Inclusion: Mobility for All

Beyond roads and vehicles, infrastructure needs to be human-centric. Builders, hospitals, malls, schools, and government complexes should be encouraged—perhaps even mandated—to create charging docks, designated lanes, and vehicle-friendly zones that support last-mile mobility. Special consideration should be given to:

• Elderly citizens
• Pregnant women and parents with infants
• Persons with disabilities
• Patients and caregivers in large healthcare facilities

These users are often underserved by current mobility solutions, and EV-based intra-campus transport can fill this critical gap.

Conclusion: A Movement, Not Just a Market

Last-mile mobility could become the epicentre of India's urban mobility story. Its growth is not just driven by economic logic or environmental urgency, but by a deeper, more human truth: ‘Mobility, in today’s world, is an opportunity’.

From a girl attending school in the back alleys of a Tier 2 city in Bihar, to a street vegetable vendor in Jaipur meeting his daily orders, to a senior citizen navigating a hospital complex in Delhi, electric last-mile solutions are making life more liveable, accessible, and fair.

As industry leaders, policymakers, and citizens, we must ask: How can we scale this change without losing its soul?
Because in solving for the last mile, we might just be solving for the future of our cities and population.

Geetika Singh is the Executive Director & Head at Ipsos UU, India. Views expressed are the author's personal.