Amazon unveiled its first all-electric delivery van on Thursday. The vehicle, built by EV startup Rivian, will come with state-of-the-art technology, like sensing equipment and an advanced driver-assist system. The e-commerce giant says it expects to have 10,000 vans on the road making deliveries “as early as 2022,” with a total fleet of 100,000 vehicles expected by 2030.
“When we set out to create our first customized electric delivery vehicle with Rivian, we knew that it needed to far surpass any other delivery vehicle. We wanted drivers to love using it and customers to feel excited when they saw it driving through their neighborhood and pulling up to their home,” said Ross Rachey, director of Amazon’s global fleet and products, in a statement. “We combined Rivian’s technology with our delivery logistics knowledge, and the result is what you see here — the future of last mile delivery.”
Local captive delivery fleets are the ideal application for electric vehicles. Urban driving with lots of stops and starts and idling time, plenty of dwell time at dedicated company depots where charging stations can be placed, and quantifiable fuel cost savings. Good for Amazon for moving in this direction, and good for Rivian for identifying ad picking this low-hanging fruit.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:32 pm:
Looks promising, let’s see how they can scale up production. Tesla is making 6 or 7 times this many vehicles in a quarter at Fremont CA, so “someone” is already doing it at scale.
Do these big vans pay the extra EV registration surcharge, or is that for passenger vehicles only? If not, there’s a fair amount of revenue that won’t be going to the Road Fund.
Nice to see good news for our battered economy. As for carbon footprint, you know the electricity to power these vehicles is often generated from coal, right? So it’s not really “clean” energy.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:24 pm:
Great win for Rivian and the B/N economy.
- CEA - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:28 pm:
Local captive delivery fleets are the ideal application for electric vehicles. Urban driving with lots of stops and starts and idling time, plenty of dwell time at dedicated company depots where charging stations can be placed, and quantifiable fuel cost savings. Good for Amazon for moving in this direction, and good for Rivian for identifying ad picking this low-hanging fruit.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:32 pm:
Looks promising, let’s see how they can scale up production. Tesla is making 6 or 7 times this many vehicles in a quarter at Fremont CA, so “someone” is already doing it at scale.
- phocion - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:44 pm:
Do these big vans pay the extra EV registration surcharge, or is that for passenger vehicles only? If not, there’s a fair amount of revenue that won’t be going to the Road Fund.
- Groucho - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:52 pm:
They hope to replace their drivers soon with automated trucks and further reduce their carbon dioxide footprint.
- Going nuclear - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:54 pm:
I’m sure there will be some potholes and growing pains for the new electric vehicle technologies, but this is good to see.
- Scott Cross for President - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:59 pm:
Thanks for posting the rollout video, Rich. That is one cool truck. (Wondering if I can get one and play around with it as a camper…)
- Downstate - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 2:59 pm:
Cool vehicle. What great news for Bloomington Normal
- very old soil - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 3:00 pm:
Great’ But how will I know that I have a delivery if I can’t hear the truck roaring up my driveway? s/
- 1st Ward - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 3:00 pm:
“They hope to replace their drivers soon with automated trucks”
Not happening anytime soon. Especially a last mile delivery service. Too many variables in large cities.
“reduce their carbon dioxide footprint.”
Yes.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 3:13 pm:
And never forget GovJunk could never remember these guys were there. GO Rivian
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 3:31 pm:
I’m sure the UAW is taking note of this.
- Captain Obvious - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 3:39 pm:
Nice to see good news for our battered economy. As for carbon footprint, you know the electricity to power these vehicles is often generated from coal, right? So it’s not really “clean” energy.
- Denise - Thursday, Oct 8, 20 @ 3:54 pm:
Captain Obvious - not as much coal usage as you think. Especially if you charge at night it is alternative fuel sources.