E-commerce giant Amazon (AMZN.O) will deploy its first European vans from U.S. electric vehicle (EV) maker Rivian in Germany over the coming weeks to electrify its transportation network. The company said 300 electric vans would hit the roads in the Munich, Berlin, and Dusseldorf regions as part of a 100,000-vehicle order it made in 2019 from Rivian, in which it is the largest shareholder. The custom vans are designed for safety, sustainability, and driver satisfaction. They will feature state-of-the-art embedded technology that seamlessly integrates the delivery workflow, including routing, navigation, and support.
The vans were built to be durable in Europe’s harsh weather and climate conditions and were tested across various locations. The testing has helped Rivian improve performance and safety, particularly regarding driver visibility. The vehicles will also be equipped with a powerful battery that can power a large amount of equipment to support the workflows required for last-mile delivery.
Since announcing its partnership with Rivian in 2019, Amazon has begun rolling out more than 3,000 Rivian electric delivery vans. It has committed to having them on the road globally by 2030, helping to save millions of metric tons of carbon emissions. It is an integral part of its commitment to The Climate Pledge, a set of goals to reach net-zero carbon by 2040.
Plymouth, Michigan-based Rivian, which has also developed electric pickups and R1S SUVs, has raised close to $1.9 billion from investors, including a $700 million February round led by Amazon. The deal solidifies Rivian’s position among EV builders and will likely help it secure more funds in the future, said Sam Fiorani, a vice president at Auto Forecast Solutions.
The company’s share price has tumbled nearly a third this year, but it remains a promising EV startup, with many predicting the stock will rise as it gains market share. Rivian has recently acquired Swedish mapping firm Iternio, which will help it improve its route planning software for electric vehicles and make setting up charging stations easier for customers.
In addition to the new vans, Amazon will use its fleets of zero-emission micro-mobility vehicles, such as e-cargo bikes and e-scooters, to deliver packages in cities. In 2022, the online retailer delivered 120 million European packages using zero-emission vehicles and other methods.
The new vans will join the more than 3,000 electric vehicles Amazon has already deployed in Europe, which have been used to complete over 100 million deliveries in 2021. The company saw its carbon output balloon last year despite selling itself as a leader in climate action, with emissions rising 18 percent from 2020 levels.
