A Comparative Study of Consumer Perception Toward Battery Swapping Startups and Fast-Charging Stations In Pune's Gig-Economy

The rapid growth of electric mobility in urban India has accelerated the development of supporting charging infrastructure. Among gig-economy workers such as food delivery riders and logistics couriers, operational efficiency and energy replenishment speed play a critical role in determining vehicle productivity. This study investigates consumer perceptions toward two prominent electric vehicle energy solutions—battery swapping and fast-charging stations—among gig-economy electric two-wheeler users in Pune city. The research adopts a quantitative approach using primary data collected from 100 delivery partners operating across major commercial zones of Pune. A structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale was used to evaluate perceptions related to time efficiency, operational cost, accessibility, and battery reliability. Statistical techniques including descriptive analysis, paired sample t-test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test were applied to compare perceptions between the two infrastructure models. The findings reveal that battery swapping systems are perceived as significantly more time-efficient than fast charging, primarily because they eliminate waiting time associated with charging cycles. However, the results also indicate that users express stronger trust in the reliability and health of personally owned batteries compared to swapped batteries. The study highlights the importance of transparent battery health monitoring systems and standardized battery certification to strengthen consumer confidence in Battery-as-a-Service platforms. The findings contribute to policy discussions and infrastructure planning for electric mobility in urban India, particularly in cities with expanding gig-economy transport demand.