This is an archive article published on August 24, 2021
BatteryPool: A Pune startup powering last-mile deliveries
BatteryPool, which has 55 smart battery-swapping stations in Pune and Delhi NCR, has raised an undisclosed amount of growth capital as part of its seed funding round.
What can delivery partners do when their electric vehicles (EVs) are about to run out of charge and they are short on time? A Pune-based startup has a solution: swap the battery for a charged one at one of the many stations operated by it in Pune and Delhi.
The smart battery-swapping station is BatteryPool’s flagship product and is present in 55 locations — five in Pune and 50 in Delhi. “When we started the company, we bought a fleet of 20 electric two-wheelers and gave these to small business and delivery boys who use EVs for commercial purposes. For the first time, we got an insight into issues around charging and daily maintenance. A delivery boy might travel 90-100 km in the city but the vehicle does not have the range to cover the distance on a single charge. The driver might not find a charging point in public and, even if he did, the battery might take up to three hours to charge. That downtime lost revenue for the driver,” says Ashwin Shankar, an electrical engineer who founded BatteryPool in 2018.
At BatteryPool’s battery-swapping stations, set up at a couple of BigBasket hubs in Pune, “a driver can come and change the battery packs in 30 seconds”.
“We have set up battery charging stations at convenient locations frequented by the users of electric vehicles, such as parking lots and basements,” he adds.
Significantly, the swapping stations are battery-agnostic since the company has built its product around batteries that fleet operators already use.
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India has set ambitious targets for the adoption of EVs. This was the sense that Shankar also got when he spent a year working with a public policy think tank, which was focussed on technology policy, especially in the manufacturing industry. Pune’s manufacturing industry, particularly the automotive sector, allowed him to plan for the future. “It became clear in 2016-17 was that the world was headed towards electrification. This aligned with my background as an electrical engineer,” says Shankar.
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The pandemic of 2020 created an upsurge in the demand for last-mile delivery. The buzz around EVs had prompted many companies to use these.
“Fleet operators were looking for solutions that we were building, such as battery swapping stations and charging packs. We realised this had a lot of potential for fleet operators in other parts of India and the world so we started to give out this charging pack to commercial vehicle users in other parts of the country,” says Shankar.
BatteryPool has now raised an undisclosed amount of growth capital as part of its seed funding round. “With this funding, we will step on the gas in developing the business further. We are looking to build partnerships with battery manufacturers, among others, to give a comprehensive solution to fleet operators. Increasing products in our portfolio is an important part of the plan since swapping stations makes sense for vehicles that use swappable battery packs but not if the fleets have vehicles whose battery packs are not swappable. Three-wheelers, especially, have large batteries that are difficult to swap. For that, we are developing smart plug points,” he.
Support for the company, in the latest seed funding, came from the Indian Angel Network (IAN) and Pune-based Venture Center under the NIDHI-Seed Support Scheme. Lead investors included Arjun Seth and Harshavardhan Chitale.
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In an official statement, Arjun Seth has said, “The EV ecosystem in India is evolving rapidly. The use case of going electric is well-known as running costs for fleet operators’ contracts. By 2030, the fleet and commercial vehicle charging market size is set to reach $2.7 billion, as these will become electrified. BatteryPool is walking on a path to capture a huge opportunity with India witnessing a rapid shift to electric mobility in the 2&3 wheeler segment, which is where EV adoption will see tremendous velocity. We will offer our proprietary software and hardware solutions and embrace a collaborative platform as we build on our partnerships with OEMs and fleet operators.”
Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life.
Professional Background
Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint.
Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series).
Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators.
Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season:
1. Climate & Environment
"Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week.
"How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site.
"Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner.
2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage
"Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle.
"Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport.
"The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle.
3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc"
"Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema.
"Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups.
"How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor.
Signature Style
Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune.
X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More
