Khushboo Shinagare, Founder of Vaara, shared insights with Rajesh Rajgor on how the COVID-19 pandemic revealed inefficiencies in cold chain logistics, leading to the birth of Vaara – India’s pioneering refrigerated storage solution for EVs. With a focus on energy efficiency and real-time temperature monitoring, Vaara aims to revolutionize last-mile deliveries while championing sustainability and innovation in the industry.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vulnerabilities within the cold chain logistics industry were laid bare. It became evident that traditional methods were insufficient in ensuring the preservation and quality of perishable goods during transit, particularly in the crucial last-mile delivery segment. Recognizing this pressing need for innovation, Khushboo Shinagare, Founder, and Amol Monga, Co-founder and CTO, embarked on a journey to redefine the landscape of cold chain logistics in India. Thus, Vaara was born – India’s pioneering refrigerated storage solution for electric vehicles (EVs), poised to revolutionize last-mile deliveries with a sustainable approach.
Could you provide some insight into the inception of Vaara? What motivated the creation of India’s inaugural refrigerated storage for EVs, concentrating on last-mile deliveries?
The genesis of Vaara traces back to a pivotal observation made during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the surge in food delivery underscored significant inefficiencies within the cold chain logistics industry. Frozen goods frequently arrived in less-than-optimal conditions, and conventional methods utilizing gel packs and dry ice led to heightened product degradation. Recognizing this gap, the concept of Vaara arose as a sustainable solution to revolutionize last-mile deliveries. Inspired by the emergence of electric vehicles (EVs) and the demand for eco-friendly alternatives, Vaara was envisioned as India’s premier refrigerated storage for EVs. Our objective was evident: to address the gap in the market for sustainable cold chain solutions, particularly within the often-disregarded last mile sector. With an emphasis on innovation and environmental stewardship, Vaara embarked on a mission to redefine the delivery of perishable goods, ensuring freshness and quality while mitigating carbon emissions.
How does Vaara tackle the inefficiencies commonly found in last-mile cold chain solutions within the industry, and what sets its temperature-controlled technology apart from other available options?
Vaara tackles the prevalent inefficiencies in last-mile cold chain solutions by introducing a groundbreaking approach to refrigerated transport. Unlike traditional diesel-operated reefers with high operational costs (Rs. 20/km), our refrigeration units feature the world’s lightest DC compressor, ensuring energy efficiency and optimal performance. With a compact and lightweight design, integrated into electric vehicles, and equipped with cutting-edge battery swapping technology, Vaara ensures zero-emission last-mile deliveries with minimal impact on EV range.
Could you provide a detailed overview of the key benefits Vaara offers to businesses across sectors such as bakeries, pharmaceuticals, groceries, dairy products, and breweries? Additionally, how does Vaara ensure the quality maintenance of products during transit to end-users?
Our solution presents a lightweight design, with minimal operating expenses (₹1.3/Km) and low maintenance requirements, reducing logistics costs by 60% for transporters. Furthermore, Vaara provides real-time alerts for perishable goods, ensuring optimal temperature compliance and quality throughout the delivery process. With Vaara, we’re not merely redefining last-mile logistics; we’re pioneering a new era of sustainable, efficient, and reliable cold chain solutions.
Operational inefficiencies such as door openings and insufficient precooling by drivers are minimized through indigenized IoT integration with sensors providing real-time alerts and monitoring, alongside GPS tracking for fleet management. Businesses can optimize operations using our fully indigenized app for efficiency, preventive maintenance, and CO2 emissions tracking. With a flexible leasing model, Vaara offers businesses cost-effective, asset-light, and sustainable cold chain solutions. Moreover, by catering to 2 and 3-wheeler EVs, facilitating seamless maneuvering through narrow roads, businesses can expand their market reach and unlock new avenues for growth.
With the growing adoption of electric vehicles and the push towards greener transportation solutions, how does Vaara contribute to this transition? What advantages does it offer over traditional diesel-run transit systems?
Vaara significantly contributes to the transition towards greener transportation solutions by providing zero-emission refrigerated transport options specifically designed for electric vehicles (EVs), including 2 and 3-wheelers. Unlike traditional diesel-run transit systems, Vaara’s solutions offer numerous advantages, including lower operational costs, reduced environmental impact, decreased downtime, and improved energy efficiency. By integrating with EVs, Vaara promotes sustainability, mitigates carbon emissions, and enhances the efficiency and reliability of last-mile deliveries.
Could you explain how Vaara integrates with electric vehicles’ battery packs and provides an additional battery pack option for non-EV vehicles? What percentage of a vehicle’s battery does Vaara typically consume during operation?
Vaara features its dedicated battery, independent of the vehicle’s power source, ensuring optimal efficiency and preserving the vehicle’s range. Additionally, Vaara’s swappable battery feature minimizes downtime during operations, maximizing productivity and reliability. Furthermore, Vaara units offer the convenience of being plugged into a standard 15-amp outlet using its wall adapter while stationary, conserving the battery for transit purposes, optimizing usage, and extending operational span.
What temperature range can Vaara maintain, and how quickly can it reach this temperature from an ambient setting? How does Vaara ensure consistent and reliable cooling throughout the delivery process?
Vaara offers two product variants: Freezer and Chiller. The Freezer maintains temperatures from -18°C to +10°C efficiently, while the Chiller ranges from -5°C to +10°C. Thanks to advanced active cooling technology, Vaara can rapidly achieve -18°C in 120 minutes and -5°C in 60 minutes from an ambient setting, ensuring swift and reliable cooling for perishable goods while maintaining set temperatures throughout transit, even with multiple door openings during deliveries.
Could you discuss the practicality and flexibility of Vaara’s design, particularly regarding its ease of unloading from vehicles and the availability of spare units for maintenance purposes?
In case of damage or urgent servicing, Vaara V2200 & V2200F (3-wheeler) offer seamless replacement, requiring just 40 minutes with a skilled professional to dismount and install a new unit. With its retrofit-friendly design, Vaara ensures uninterrupted operations, swiftly restoring efficiency without operational disruptions. For the Vaara V40 (2-wheeler), the same can be accomplished in under 15 minutes.
In terms of scalability and future developments, what are Vaara’s plans for expansion or enhancements to its product offerings? Are there any new features or technologies on the horizon that you can share?
We’ve developed four products in two years and have a patent pending for the technology, showcasing rapid product development for a startup. Our technology has been recognized and nominated in Europe in the Innovation category of Autonomy Mobility awards, Paris. We plan to scale up our production capacity to 500 units per month to cater to growing demand. Our focus will be on a comprehensive IoT App offering complete fleet management solutions, including lease management.
Vaara aims to minimize food wastage and boost fresh produce nutrition via zero-emission cold chain solutions. Our mission is to create an eco-friendly delivery system using electric vehicles, Vaara Tech, and partnerships, driven by data for reliable perishable goods transport. Sustainability is at our core, with goals including carbon emission reduction, innovative technology development, customer satisfaction, market leadership, quality benchmarks, and continuous improvement.
How does Vaara envision its role in the broader context of the cold chain logistics industry in India and beyond? What opportunities and challenges do you foresee for the company as it continues to grow and innovate?
Vaara aims to revolutionize traditional cold chain practices globally by introducing innovative, sustainable solutions alongside EV adoption in first and last-mile delivery. This involves forming partnerships with OEMs, leasing, and financing entities to provide comprehensive solutions to brands, distributors, and transporters. Our vision is to minimize food wastage and enhance the nutritional value of fresh produce through zero-emission cold chain solutions. We strive to establish an eco-friendly delivery ecosystem using electric vehicles, Vaara Tech, and customer partnerships, guided by our values of sustainability, innovation, customer satisfaction, market leadership, and continuous improvement.