You may soon have the pleasure of having your Amazon packages delivered in an electric van. The online retail giant is giving the OK for the first batch of its new electric delivery vans to hit the road later this year.
The milestone is the result of its collaboration with Rivian, an EV Startup based in Michigan, USA, to switch to an all-electric delivery van fleet. Amazon is aiming to attain zero-carbon emission by 2040. 10,000 of the Vans are expected to be in operation by 2022.
The relationship between Amazon and Rivian is very deep. Amazon is an investor in the automaker (through its Climate Pledge Fund) and already put in an order for 100,000 vans (estimated to be worth $4 billion) as soon as design work started on the vans.
The vans are already making deliveries in Los Angeles and will be rolled out in 15 more yet to be named cities in this public testing phase.
Rivian announced their pickup truck and SUV towards the end of 2018 and has gone on to attract substantial investments, running into billions of dollars. The company is still privately held. Final specs for the van are still a secret at the moment.
The vans can cover 150 miles on a single charge and Amazon is installing thousands of electric vehicle chargers in its delivery facilities in preparation for the vans going into operation.
This is a remarkable feat as the electric van went from design to testing within a year. Ross Rachey, Amazon’s global fleet director, was quoted as saying:
“We’re loving the enthusiasm from customers so far—from the photos we see online to the car fans who stop our drivers for a first-hand look at the vehicle. From what we’ve seen, this is one of the fastest modern commercial electrification programs, and we’re incredibly proud of that.”
The other two vehicles expected from Rivian will be built on the same architecture as this electric van. Prices will start at around $70,000. They will go 400 miles on a single charge. They will hit 60 miles per hour in under three seconds, and have self driving capabilities.
Rivian is expected to sell much more vans as experts predict a rise in demand for electric vans.
Are you excited to see this roll-out by Rivian? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
Written by D.O. for www.ShargeMe.blog