Amazon has invested in three different models of electric vehicle with which to deliver orders, and the first of those has just been revealed.
The new delivery van was developed in partnership with electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian, and has been designed from the ground-up to suite Amazon's needs.
"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. "We combined Rivian's technology with our delivery logistics knowledge, and the result is what you see here-the future of last mile delivery."
Amazon made a commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040 as part of The Climate Pledge. Delivery vehicles are a big part of that, with Amazon attempting to get 10,000 electric delivery vans on the road by 2022 and 100,000 by 2030.
Everything about this vehicle is Amazon-focused, from the color and branding on the interior and exterior, to the integration of Alexa for hands-free access to route information and weather updates. Amazon says each vehicle includes "State-of-the-art sensor detection, a suite of highway and traffic assist technology, and a large windshield to enhance driver visibility," as well as exterior cameras for a 360-degree driver view, a strengthened driver door for protection, and a "dancefloor" for easy movement inside the van.
"The vehicle we’ve developed with Amazon is not just electric. We prioritized safety and functionality to create a vehicle that’s optimized for package delivery," said RJ Scaringe, Rivian CEO. "We thought through how drivers get in and out of the van, what the work space feels like and what the work flow is for delivering packages."