The future of how we move

From battery swapping to rethinking how we move 

Set against the daily grind of Delhi’s traffic, Basanti - mother, driver and entrepreneur - navigates the city in an electric rickshaw. Her story shows how battery swapping is reshaping India’s three-wheeler market, shifting mobility away from vehicle ownership toward systems that maximise uptime, affordability and access. In cities where charging infrastructure lags, fast, informal battery-swap networks have become essential, boosting drivers’ incomes while accelerating electrification at scale. 

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From local innovation to strategic advantage

Transformation starts at street level, where people solve everyday challenges. A driver replacing a battery during a midday stop. A neighbourhood shop evolving into a charging point. A small business switching to mobile payments and leaving cash behind.

These practical solutions signal what modern mobility requires: reliability, flexibility, affordability, and inclusive access. As they scale, they don’t just improve experiences - they enable entirely new systems, from Mobility-as-a-Service to intelligent city platforms and integrated energy and logistics networks.

This shift is bringing industries together. Energy, mining, telecoms, logistics, financial services, and manufacturing are converging into a shared ecosystem. In doing so, they unlock new business models, create recurring revenue opportunities, and increase the need for strategic partnerships. 

What it means for leaders

The implication is clear: mobility is not just evolving, it is redefining value chains. The key question is how to position your organisation’s assets, data, and partnerships to compete and grow within this emerging Move domain. 

A new perspective on the future of mobility in The Netherlands

PwC Mobility expert Bart van Osch sees that India’s battery-swapping model could serve as an inspiring example for organisations operating in the Move domain in the Netherlands and across Europe, particularly in relation to grid congestion and the opportunities that Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology offers for the rapidly growing electric vehicle fleet. It demonstrates how what may seem like a relatively small innovation can drive significant changes in local infrastructure, create new economic opportunities for small businesses, and at the same time contribute to cleaner and more sustainable cities.

According to Bart, currently grid congestion is one of the biggest barriers in The Netherlands for organisations seeking to expand their economic activities. In addition, from 1 July 2026, electric vehicle owners are facing new regulations concerning residential charging infrastructure. Making better use of V2G capabilities could provide substantial relief by enabling more efficient use of renewable energy while preventing further strain on an already overloaded electricity grid. This, in turn, creates room for economic growth, innovation and new business models without the immediate need for additional grid capacity.

Bart van Osch, expert mobility PwC Nederland