New Delhi: With e-commerce penetrating every conventional business, the diesel business is set to undergo unprecedented overhaul. E-commerce is the de-facto choice of new generation, as it facilitates product booking and delivery possible from the comfort of your home.
Now, the fuel business is set to witness advent of technology and new age delivery mechanism. In a way, it will totally revolutionise the way fuel is purchased and delivered. You may no longer be needed to visit a fuel station or petrol pump as ‘smart tanks’ will come to your doorstep with fuel.
Pioneering this change is a New Delhi-based firm named FuelBuddy. It is India’s first company to have acquired government permission for delivering fuel at your doorstep.
FuelBuddy is an App-based, IoT and cloud enabled fuel delivery start-up. It commenced operations in May 2018 after raising capital in seed funding. The start-up reportedly raised Rs 17 crore from SK Narvar, an individual investor and Chairman, Capital India Corp.
About FuelBuddy features and operations
FuelBuddy’s App is available on Android as well as iOS platforms. Any customer can simply download it, complete KYC requirements and start using fuel at doorstep delivery services.
FuelBuddy, the fuel app works with 3 big oil marketing companies (OMCs) – IOCL, BPCL and HPCL for procurement of the highest grade of fuel and providing a seamless experience to the end-customer at their doorstep.
Biggest highlight is that the company charges no-extra service for its ‘mobile petrol pump’ service. One can get the fuel at same price which one gets at the fuel station.
The on-demand fuel app delivers services to wide spectrum of industries including manufacturing, construction, corporates, mining and real estate (residential and commercial).
The company provides cost-effective and quality service at the customer end and also ensures that there is no wastage or pilferage or adulteration. The company has designed Smart Tanks, which is password protected and sends emergency signals if it is tampered with.
Many industries like hotel-chain aggregators, manufacturing units, real estate developers and schools have already started using its services.
Brain behind FuelBuddy, the revolutionary on-demand Fuel service
The novel concept of delivery fuel at doorstep was debatable but with active co-ordination of Niti Ayog, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Start-up India and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), the project saw light of the day and became a reality.
The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas first legalised the home delivery of high-speed diesel (HSD) in 2017.
The brains which conceptualised this novel idea of delivering fuel at doorstep included – Divij Talwar, Gautam Malhotra and Adnan Kidwai. The three co-founders are distinguished professionals with rich experience in Auto sectors.
Divij Talwar heads the sales division at FuelBuddy as its Chief Sales Officer while Gautam Malhotra is the chief strategy officer, outlining the overall strategic initiatives of firm while Adnan Kidwai is the Chief Executive officer (CEO).
Sajjan Kumar Alhwat joined the FuelBuddy as President and brings 35 years of experience in various capacities at India’s largest Oil Marketing Company-IOCL (Indian Oil Corporation Limited). His expertise and understanding is an asset for the start-up firm.
FuelBuddy raised Rs 17 crore from SK Narvar and Raghav Gupta and also got a commitment for the same in future. Mr SK Narvar, the Capital India Corp chairman is a first-generation industrialist with investments in FinTech, NBFC and Realty Space.
Doorstep Delivery of Petrol, CNG too
The company is also exploring means and ways of delivering petrol and CNG apart from high-speed diesel. The company is developing a mobile dispensing solution for petrol and CNG delivery.
Today, the company has presence in 24 cities across the country and hopes to expand exponentially in times to come.
