Rivian Commences Delivering Amazon Vans With a Range of 201 Miles
Monday, December 20, 2021 | Chimniii Desk
Key Highlights
- Rivian announced some good news, stating that the company's first saleable delivery vehicles for Amazon will be delivered to the internet giant by the end of the month.
- While we've previously seen Rivian testing its electric delivery vans in public, the carmaker claims that the first batch of "saleable" vans will be delivered to Amazon by the end of the year.
- According to EPA testing, the EDV 700 will have a range of 201 miles on a single charge.
- Rivian also announced the launch of the EDV 500, a smaller electric delivery van.
- It is seeking to accelerate manufacturing of its EDV delivery vans by streamlining procedures at its Illinois factory.
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Unlike many other automakers, Rivian intends to build electric vehicles for both commercial and private use. It's a complex strategy to avoid the same fate as other firms. While the industry is concentrating its efforts on the R1T and R1S, which began shipping to consumers earlier this month. Rivian also announced some further good news, stating that the company's first saleable delivery vehicles for Amazon will be delivered to the internet giant by the end of the month.
Deliveries of EDV Vans
The EDV, Rivian's electric delivery van, now has a name. It is manufactured at the automaker's Normal, Illinois, plant alongside the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. One of the first things that put Rivian on the map was Amazon's huge order of EDV vehicles. Amazon placed an agreement with the carmaker for 100,000 EDV vans to be used as delivery trucks. The vehicles are managed by Rivian's FleetOS system, which enables Amazon to trace deliveries more easily.
While we've previously seen Rivian testing its electric delivery vans in public, the carmaker claims that the first batch of "saleable" vans will be delivered to Amazon by the end of the year. The EDV 700 is the name of the saleable vans that Rivian will deliver to Amazon. This is the first time we've heard the complete name of the vehicle. Rivian could not provide an explanation for the "EDV" section, but the 700 refers to the load capacity of the van, which is 700 cubic feet. According to EPA testing, the EDV 700 will have a range of 201 miles on a single charge.
Rivian also announced the launch of the EDV 500, a smaller electric delivery van. According to what we know about the EDV 700, it will be smaller and have a cargo capacity of up to 500 cubic feet. Rivian is expected to employ the same platform as the EDV 700, but with a smaller body, ensuring that range and performance remain comparable.
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Priority Is Given to Delivery Vans
The electric manufacturer is prioritising Amazon's electric van orders before refocusing on the R1S and R1T, as it announced earlier this October. It is seeking to accelerate manufacturing of its EDV delivery vans by streamlining procedures at its Illinois factory. The facility currently shares production lines for drive units, stamping, and batteries between the automaker's two platforms — one for the EDV and one for the R1S and R1T.
Rivian intends to increase annual production at its Illinois factory to 200,000 units, up from 150,000 units initially. Additionally, the manufacturer will open a new factory in Georgia, which will undoubtedly aid in the production of additional electric vehicles. This also ensures that Rivian avoids a bottleneck if and when its automobiles gain popularity.
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