One of the biggest climate challenges in modern cities is tackling what is known as ‘last-mile emissions’ from delivery vehicles, which is seen as a major source of air pollution and traffic congestion.

Couriers and businesses have several options when it comes to reducing ‘last-mile emissions’, including route optimisation tools and drop-off points, but the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) and cargo bikes will be key in many urban areas.

However, encouraging couriers, who are often small, independent traders to make the transition is not without its issues, as many are concerned about the cost and range of such vehicles.

But Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, a finalist in this year’s Earthshot Prize environmental award has been on a mission to electrify the last mile in India.

The company has transformed its supply chain and now sells more electric three-wheelers than anyone else in the country.

In August, it announced it had reached a 400,000 cumulative electric vehicle sales milestone , with more than 9 billion electric kilometres travelled, helping avoid approximately 85,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

The company’s chief executive officer Suman Mishra said three wheelers are fundamental because they are the most affordable option for millions of passenger and cargo journeys, in an interview.

And she said they are also an essential item for many drivers and entrepreneurs.

But Mishra added the high density of these small internal combustion engine vehicles in city center’s leads to a disproportionate share of emissions, directly impacting air quality and pollution levels.

“The last mile is essentially where all cities breathe,” she told me.

“It is where urban transportation is highest and densest, and any emissions which are caused at that this point have a direct impact on air quality and breathability.”

Mishra said they had to address critical points, including charging, financing and reliability to help drive adoption of these electric vehicles.

By designing electric three wheelers to be powered by standard 16-amp sockets, the company ensured the vehicles could be charged at home.

It has also introduced public charging facilities in traffic hotspots and a service guarantee, where drivers were compensated for lost daily income if repairs took longer than one day,

There is also a smartphone app, so drivers can see how much vehicle battery charge they have.

“We have made the technology almost ubiquitous now,” added Mishra. “And we are close to 50% electrification in our category. When we started, it was more like 2%.”

She said one of the key lessons learned is how the technology must be economically beneficial and transition requires solving an entire eco-system of related issues.

She added governments can also accelerate progress through upfront subsidies.

Mishra added being a finalist in the Earthshot Prize demonstrates how scale and sustainability and co-exist.

“We have pushed very hard for four or five years, and we have reached a certain level,” she said. “It is a validation that this is not just about the small pilots of new technologies. It is about scaling up a solution to a much larger level.”

Other manufacturers of electric three-wheelers in India include Bajaj Auto, Omega Siki Mobility and Kinetic Green.

There are a total of 15 finalists in this year’s Earthshot Prize, and they also include Satellites on Fire, an Argentinian AI-powered wildfire detection and alert platform, which spots and tracks wildfires across 21 countries.

The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance, which brings global cargo owners together to make binding commitments to zero-emission shipping, is another finalist.

The Earthshot Prize was launched by Prince William in 2020.

Its chief executive, Jason Knauf said this year’s finalists show environmental leadership is coming from every corner of the globe, in a statement.

Knauf added each Finalist is responding to a different pressing environmental issue, but all share the potential to create change far beyond their immediate impact.

“By backing solutions that can contribute to a positive tipping point, where progress begins to accelerate and spread, The Earthshot Prize’s mission is to turn environmental ambition into action at the scale our planet urgently needs,” he said.

The winners will be announced at the sixth Earthshot Prize awards night, in Mumbai, India, in November.