Amazon Custom EDV by Rivian Start Rolling Out Across the U.S.

Amazon's Climate Pledge to have a sustainable delivery fleet reaching net-zero carbon across their global operations is what these Rivian state-of-the-art EDV delivery vans are all about.

CEO RJ of Rivian along with the CEO of Amazon have now officially rolled out the EDV to immediately start being used for delivery in Baltimore, Chicago, Dalla, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle and St. Louis. This will grow to over 100 cities by the end of 2022 and to over 100,000 by the end of 2030.

These vehicles were designed from the ground-up, key focus on safety, sustainability, comfort and improved workflow.

The EDV started with an announced partnership in 2019 and with both Rivian and Amazon signing The Climate Pledge a commitment to reach net-zero carbon across all operations by 2040. As part of this pledge, Rivian and Amazon are working to decarbonize the last mile logistics as well as accelerate innovation that can help others reach net-zero carbon. This commitment will have Amazon with over 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the U.S. roads alone by 2030 and save millions of metric tons of carbon a year.

Andy Jazzy, CEO of Amazon had this to say:

“Fighting the effects of climate change requires constant innovation and action, and Amazon is partnering with companies who share our passion for inventing new ways to minimize our impact on the environment. Rivian has been an excellent partner in that mission, and we’re excited to see our first custom electric delivery vehicles on the road,” “Today marks a significant milestone in our Climate Pledge commitment. Rivian was one of the first companies Amazon invested in through the Climate Pledge Fund, and we’re just getting started on our journey to have 100,000 of Rivian’s vehicles on the road by 2030. And, in addition to being sustainable, these new vehicles are also great for drivers—they were designed with driver input and feedback along the way, and they’re among the safest and most comfortable delivery vehicles on the road today.”

Amazon has been testing deliveries with Rivian Preproduction EDVs since 2021, delivering over 430,000 packages and accumulating over 90,000 miles. This significant testing has allowed Rivian to continuously improve the vehicles performance, safety and durability in verious climates and geographies we well as its state-of-the-art features to ensure driver satisfaction and overall functionality. Rivian has completed certifications with the NHTSA, CARB and the U.S. EPA.

The custom vehicles are made at Rivian’s factory in Illinois, and include innovative technology and features such as:

• A safety-first design focused on superior 360-degree visibility, and vehicle features that protect drivers and pedestrians.
• A suite of innovative safety features including sensor detection, highway, and traffic assist technology, a large windshield to enhance driver visibility, automatic emergency breaking, adaptive cruise control, and collision warnings.
• First-of-its-kind embedded technology that fully integrates the delivery workflow with the vehicle, enabling seamless access to routing, navigation, driver support and more.
• Features to enhance the driver experience and create ease on the road such as automatic door locking/unlocking as the driver approaches or leaves the vehicle, and a powered bulkhead door that opens when drivers reach their delivery location.
• A strengthened door on the driver’s side for additional protection, and an ergonomically designed driver’s cabin and cargo area for safe, and easy movement inside the van.
• Batteries that are light, resilient, and low cost in addition to lasting the lifetime of the vehicle.

Amazon delivery stations across the country has one of the largest installed charging infrastructures to support their growing fleet of EDVs to ensure a carbon-zero last mile delivery fleet. Amazon has also partnered with the nonprofit CERES, and several other fleet operators to launch the Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance, bringing together companies to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. Amazon's sustainable transportation program can be found here here.

RJ Scaringe, CEO of Rivian had this to say:

“Today represents an important step, not just for Amazon and Rivian as partners, but also for transportation and the environment,” “In 2019, Rivian and Amazon committed to fast-tracking a new type of delivery vehicle that would result in a significant reduction of carbon emissions. Thanks to our teams’ dedication, hard work and collaboration, and a shared commitment to make the world a better place for our kids’ kids, that vision is now being realized. To say this is an exciting moment is an understatement—we’re thrilled to see this partnership has kickstarted decarbonization projects across the logistics delivery industry.”

Zero carbon last mile delivery is here and coming to a city near you soon according to Amazon and Rivian.