Delivery Riders: How to Work Out What an EV Really Saves You
Fuel is one of a delivery rider's biggest daily costs. Use this simple method to compare petrol and electric using your own numbers.
If you deliver for a living, your scooter is a business expense. The question is not whether an EV is good for the planet. It is how much more money stays in your pocket at the end of the week.
Here is a simple method you can do on your phone in five minutes.
Step 1: Find your real daily distance
Check your delivery app for a typical week and work out your average daily kilometres. Include the distance between orders, not only the paid trips.
Step 2: Work out your cost per kilometre
On petrol: divide the petrol price by your real mileage.
On electric: divide the cost of the energy you use by your real range. For charging, that is your electricity cost. For swapping, use the plan price from your provider, since swap plans are priced differently.
An example
These numbers are only for illustration. Please replace them with your own.
- Petrol: at ₹100 a litre and 45 km per litre, you pay about ₹2.20 per km.
- Home charging: a scooter using 35 Wh per km, at ₹8 per unit of electricity, costs about ₹0.28 per km.
If you ride 100 km a day for 26 days a month, that is 2,600 km:
- Petrol comes to about ₹5,700.
- Home charging comes to about ₹730.
That is a difference of roughly ₹5,000 a month on energy alone in this example. Your scooter's rental or EMI still has to be counted, which is the next step.
Step 3: Add the costs people forget
Fuel is only part of the picture. Compare the full monthly cost:
- Vehicle cost: your EMI or rental. On a prAVzo plan, this is your subscription.
- Servicing: engine oil, filters and tune-ups on petrol. On prAVzo, routine servicing is included in the subscription.
- Insurance and paperwork: who pays and who helps when you need to claim.
- Downtime: every hour off the road is lost income, so count how long repairs and refuelling or charging take.
Step 4: Check that it fits your day
Saving money only helps if the scooter keeps up with your shifts:
- Your busiest day should fit within the real range, or there should be swap stations on your route.
- The scooter should be able to carry your delivery bag and load safely.
- You should know what happens if it breaks down mid-shift.
How to test without a big risk
If your numbers look good, you do not need to commit for years. A short weekly plan lets you ride your real routes and measure your real costs. If it works, you continue. If it does not, you have only spent a few weeks finding out.
Ready to compare? See our electric scooters or read our guide to battery swapping and charging.