As the Indian government sets a target of a complete transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030, companies like Magenta Mobility are at the forefront of this change, providing accessible and affordable e-mobility solutions. Marketing In Asia recently had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Maxson Lewis, Founder and Managing Director, Magenta Mobility and gathered some insights regarding their software solutions, charging and parking hub network, OEM partnerships, and contribution to decarbonising Indian cities. Read on to learn more.
Software Solutions for Commercial Fleet Operations
Magenta Mobility has developed an integrated Fleet & Charging management software to improve the efficiency of their EV fleet operations, tackling pain points such as driver management, asset management, and charging management. Their solution includes advanced features for driver behaviour monitoring, fleet performance analysis, locating nearby charging stations, and tracking progress with security features such as video and voice monitoring.
Based on a new age low code technology platform, the software comprises multiple functionalities to better manage remote assets, vehicles and personnel, thereby streamlining the operations of their fleet.
Expanding Charging and Parking Hub Network
To accommodate the growing fleet size, Magenta Mobility has set up multiple larger format charging depots, such as the recently inaugurated Bilekahalli, Bengaluru charging depot. Capable of charging around 72 vehicles at the same time, it is one of the largest charging depots in the city. The company has created a network of over 40 charging depots in India to date.
With a dedicated realty team, Magenta Mobility identifies and maps several accessible locations based on clients’ requirements, including safety, and plans at least 6 months in advance to their fleet deployment. They have a full-fledged R&D team that has invested effort in developing full stack OCPP chargers specifically designed for their fleet charging operations.
The recent investment and backing from BP and Morgan Stanley will help Magenta Mobility in scaling its tech-led Electric Mobility platform across the country.
OEM Partnerships and Solutions
Magenta Mobility works with OEMs that fit in with their non-negotiable value system of Safety, Quality, and Integrity. Their structured VTT team (Vehicle Trial and Testing) tries new vehicles for client use cases and gives first-hand feedback in a formal report to the participating OEMs.
While Magenta Mobility aims to offer the best available solution to their client based on their range, payload, speed, and charging requirements, they know that the OEM products are continuously improving. They take pride in saying that quite a few improvements in the current range of electric vehicles are based on their OEM partnership and feedback.
Contributing to Decarbonising Indian Cities
Magenta Mobility’s vision of ‘Decarbonising Logistics’ by creating accessible, adaptable and affordable e-mobility solutions is in sync with the Indian government’s ambitious target of complete transition to EVs by 2030. The company is building India’s safest and smartest electric mobility ecosystem, contributing to the true transition to clean mobility at scale, particularly in last-mile logistics.
Differentiating from Other Last-Mile Delivery Logistics Providers
Magenta Mobility differentiates itself by offering an integrated solutions approach – Charging, Mobility & Technology. The company has the wherewithal to offer services to their clients at scale and aggregate EV demand for OEMs.
By March 2024, the company has set a target to increase its fleet size to 4000 to meet the growing demands of last-mile logistics, leveraging the network effect of its fleet size to optimise all aspects of its operations.
Expanding Operations and Sustainable Growth
Magenta Mobility believes in profitable growth and has decided to use that as its yardstick to expand its operations. The company is currently focused on expanding within India in the next four quarters as they see a huge opportunity waiting for them. However, they also have a team analysing the international EV market. Magenta believes what they have built in India, both the technology and the business models, can be taken to other similar countries. In fact, they have invitations from other countries to expand to, however, the company plans to keep international growth in their FY 24-25 plans.
Maintenance of the EV Fleet
Magenta Mobility ensures the maintenance and upkeep of their expanding EV fleet across multiple cities through their Tech based CCT (Central Control Tower). This CCT helps them continuously monitor the health of their fleet at a battery level by monitoring battery SOC, battery temperature, and river controls. The CCT is backed by a dedicated service team and maintenance team across cities who ensure that the fleets are upkeep and running through preventative maintenance and frequent audits. Magenta Mobility also has OEM partners who have provided them with training teams and service teams at their charging depots.
Investment Terms and Conditions
The investment by bp and Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure is based on the principles of trust built on Magenta Mobility’s model of full disclosure and complete due diligence. BP brings in international scale and experience, while Morgan Stanley brings financial astuteness and access to capital markets. The investment will be used to expand their fleet to 4,000 vehicles within 12 months and market expansion into eight additional cities across India in the next two years beyond strengthening its presence in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
Partnership with Jio-bp
Magenta Mobility has a tie-up with Jio-bp, which is part of bp’s joint venture with Reliance, to provide EV charging services for their fleet. The charging infrastructure network set up by bp will play a crucial role in making charging accessible to their fleet across regions, enabling them to expand their operations in other cities as well. The company believes Jio-bp’s scale of operations and speed of deploying new infrastructure will be a big push for their fleet deployment.
Future Plans for Developing and Implementing New Technologies
Magenta Mobility’s focus this year is on its driver partner network and offering a differentiated service to its clients through its driver partners. They have rolled out stage 1 of their Driver Partner Tech solution, which includes end-to-end driver lifecycle – selection, onboarding, training, finance, insurance, and even upskilling. The company believes that its driver partners can leverage their solutions to increase their efficiency and improve their performance. Magenta Mobility has plans for huge investments and multiple initiatives to make this happen.
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Magenta Mobility’s innovative strategies for sustainable growth, maintenance of their EV fleet, investment terms and conditions, partnership with Jio-bp, and future plans for developing and implementing new technologies make them a promising player in the EV fleet management industry. With a strong focus on sustainability and customer satisfaction, the company is well-positioned for success in the coming years.
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