With relatively short routes and the ability to recharge at depots every night, electrification is ideal for commercial fleet operators and delivery companies. This is why offerings like the BrightDrop Zevo 600 and Ford E-Transit have been introduced. Another all-electric van of note is the Rivian EDV, which the automaker builds for goliath online retailer Amazon. At EV Pulse, we haven’t had a chance to drive this new delivery vehicle, but the YouTube channel Friday Adventure Club just experienced the van firsthand and came away impressed.
The battery-powered Rivian EDV is chockablock with clever features and innovations that will make the lives of couriers much easier. For starters, the bulkhead door, which separates the passenger compartment from the cargo area opens and closes automatically. This is not only super convenient, but it should also be safer because there’s no forgetting to close the door when you take off, so cargo can’t come tumbling into the driver’s space while underway.
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Another boon for safety, the Rivian EDV offers a crisp and clear 360-degree camera system (they are always nice to have), plus it has parking sensors, so you’re less likely to contact other vehicles while maneuvering in close quarters. There’s a large central touch screen and a digital instrument cluster, just like you get in high-end passenger cars and the included infotainment system seems plenty responsive. Improving driver comfort — and likely efficiency in cold conditions — the steering wheel and seat are both heated.
Amazon plans to deploy some 100,000 of these Rivian vans by the year 2030, which should save millions of metric tons of carbon emissions annually. Ahead of that ambitious target, a smattering of cities across the country, from Baltimore to Dallas, Nashville to Phoenix, St. Louis to San Diego should already have EDVs running around delivering packages. Amazon has been testing this vehicle since 2021 and has used it to deliver more than 430,000 parcels over the course of some 90,000 miles.
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Friday Adventure Club really seemed to enjoy their time in the Rivian EDV, though they did have a couple minor issues. One, the electronic door latches proved a little cumbersome, difficult to use inside and out. Also, they mentioned the step-in height is a touch on the high side, which is a challenge for delivery drivers that get into and out of their vehicles dozens or even hundreds of times each day. But for all the juicy details about this battery-powered delivery vehicle, make sure to watch the whole video, which is conveniently embedded above for your viewing pleasure.
