Avis India is already running pilot programs to see how EVs can be seamlessly integrated across our offerings. These include assessing performances across multiple cities and use cases to ensure that the integration is both practical and impactful, says Aman Naagar, Managing Director, Avis India in an interview with EVolution Auto India.
Q: Avis is a one-stop shop for all car rental & vehicle leasing requirements for its customers, with safety, quality, reliability & transparency being the key delivery benchmarks. How do you see its role evolving in the Indian mobility ecosystem over the next five years?
Aman Naagar: Safety, quality, reliability and transparency have been our guiding principles since inception. Our entire offerings, whether it be car rental, vehicle leasing, fleet management and more, have these principals at their core. Over the next 5 years, we see Avis evolving as not only a mobility services provider, but a truly integrated Mobility Solutions Partner for all. As we continue to expand our corporate solutions, ensuring cost-efficient fleet solutions through our leasing and rental business, we are also at the same time investing into our premium chauffeur driven services for airport, intra-city city and intercity movement. We are also highly committed to enhancing consumer experience and are actively working towards higher technology adoption and integration to digitize touchpoints and tailor offerings backed by data driven decisions. We see Avis playing an integral role in India’s transition towards a greener and smarter mobility ecosystem through our plans of integrating EVs and overall corporate wide sustainable practices.
Q: With the rapid evolution of EVs, autonomous transport, and smart cities, where does Avis India fit into the future of Indian mobility?
Aman Naagar: What sets Avis apart is our global brand legacy. At the world stage, the Avis Budget Group has been a trailblazer when it comes to the adoption of the latest technologies, and we continue to leverage this institutional knowledge in India. Today, as India is entering a hyper phase of mobility transformation driven by electrification, connectivity and smart city initiatives, we are keeping pace through our internal initiatives and plans such as accelerating fleet electrification and offering connected mobility solutions. With our vision of ensuring that Avis India remains at the forefront of innovation and customer delight, we are also preparing ourselves for adoption of autonomous solutions in the long run.
Q: What role do electric vehicles (EVs) play in Avis India’s future fleet strategy?
Aman Naagar: Avis India is already running pilot programs to see how EVs can be seamlessly integrated across our offerings. These include assessing performances across multiple cities and use cases to ensure that the integration is both practical and impactful. With an aim to bring in EVs into both the rental and leasing business, we plan to partner with leading OEMs and have collaborations with charging infrastructure providers. In the coming years, EVs will form a substantial portion of our portfolio, ensuring that Avis India becomes synonymous with sustainable mobility solutions and truly partners with corporates seeking to meet their ESG and Sustainability commitments.
Q: What are the major roadblocks in integrating EVs into the rental ecosystem in India, and how is Avis navigating them?
Aman Naagar: There are several pressing challenges regarding the integration of EVs into India’s rental ecosystem, including:
- Range anxiety driven by limited charging infrastructure.
- Comparatively higher upfront costs and uncertainty over resale values
- Battery performance to match India’s diverse climate conditions
- Stagnant consumer trust and awareness
At Avis, our roadmap for EV integration involves partnering with OEMs and charging infrastructure providers to ensure cost efficiency and access for customers. We are also exploring innovative financing models to make EVs more viable. On the awareness front, we are working on ensuring that our corporate clients have access to full information which reflects the real benefits of EV leasing and rentals. With this phased and collaborative approach, we aim to have Avis India recognised as an early mover to scale EV adoption responsibly.
Q: In 2019, Avis India supported Guinness World Record holder Sushil Reddy to drive awareness about sustainable energy, christened as ‘The SunPedal Ride’. Tell us more about this campaign. Do you have any similar plans in the pipeline?
Aman Naagar: The SunPedal Ride was a landmark initiative for us and something we take great joy and pride in. In 2019, we partnered with Guinness World Record holder Sushil Reddy with a thought to promote solar energy and sustainable mobility. We provided the mobility support required for the campaign ensuring that this message of renewable energy and responsible transportation reached its audience for impact. With this campaign, we were able to also showcase Avis’s broader philosophy of mobility must also mean sustainability. We are actively working on similar initiatives which can reflect and amplify the messaging which is appropriate for today, such as an EV adoption campaign, collaborations with industry associations, or innovative projects. At Avis, sustainability is not another buzz word or a branding initiative; it is central to our core strategy and business offerings.
Q: How do you envision the future of urban mobility in India, and what role can premium rental services like Avis play in that future? Is there scope for Avis India to expand into micro-mobility, shared shuttles, or intercity EV rental networks?
Aman Naagar: As India continues to grow as an economic powerhouse backed by a growing population, sustainability, convenience, and shared access will become the must haves for urban mobility. There will be a demand for solutions that enhance the experience through reduced congestion and travel time, cleaner air through lower vehicle emissions, and seamless multimodal transport. Backed by our multiple service offerings such as intercity travel and airport transfers, we provide an additional layer that complements the public infrastructure. We envision to be a trusted partner in shaping new age urban mobility through sustainable and smart offerings, including those in EV intercity travel, corporate shuttles and micro-mobility solutions without compromising on our consumer-centricity and premium consumer delight experience for which Avis India is known for.