Amazon has started using custom electric delivery vehicles made by Rivian to deliver packages, with the electric vehicles hitting the road in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis, among other cities.
The rollout is the first of thousands of Amazon’s custom electric delivery vehicles that will be making deliveries in more than 100 cities by the end of this year and 100,000 across the U.S. by 2030. Rivian operates a large technology center in Plymouth Township.
“We’re just getting started on our journey to have 100,000 of Rivian’s vehicles on the road by 2030,” says Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon. “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 vehicles since 2021, delivering more than 430,000 packages and accumulating 90,000-plus miles.
“Today represents an important step, not just for Amazon and Rivian as partners, but also for transportation and the environment,” said R.J. Scaringe, CEO of Rivian. “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.”
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 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 has added thousands of charging stations at its delivery stations across the country and will continue to invest in building an infrastructure to support a more sustainable delivery fleet.
Amazon also has 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.
To learn more about Amazon’s sustainable transportation visit here.
