Amazon unveils its first custom electric delivery vehicle

Amazon has introduced its first custom electric delivery vehicle, designed and built in partnership with Rivian.

Amazon on delivery of its first custom-built EV delivery van has outlined some of the unique features which include sensor-based highway driving and traffic assist features; exterior cameras that can provide a 360-degree view for the driver with a help of a digital display.

Its interiors have larger floor space in the cabin to help the drivers getting to and from the cabin compartment. It surrounds tail lights for better braking visibility for the other drivers and it has three-level shelving and a bulkhead cargo compartment which separates the door. Its most unique feature is the built-in Alexa voice assistant integration.

Amazon last year had started a Climate Pledge which meant to be zero carbon across their businesses by 2040. 10,000 Amazon custom electric delivery vehicles will be on the road delivering to customers worldwide as early as 2022 and all 1,00,000 by 2030.

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In 2019, the Amazon had announced an investment in Rivian, a whopping $440 million investment. “We combined Rivian’s technology with our delivery logistics knowledge, and the result is what you see here-the future of last-mile delivery,” said Ross Rachey, Director of Amazon’s Global Fleet and Products.

The first vehicles are one of three different models that Amazon has invested in and completely customised with Rivian to improve the driver experience and optimize safety. “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.

The e-commerce giant announced last September that it was ordering 100,000 of the custom-made electric delivery vans. Rivian also intends to build and ship electric pickups and SUVs to consumers, on its commercial vehicle plans.

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