Amazon’s electric delivery vans from Rivian continue to make their way to cities across the U.S. with drivers perhaps serving as some of their best PR agents.
The bluish gray vans – distinguished by their tall height, round headlights and Amazon badging on the grille – began rolling out to the retail giant’s own drivers and those working for independently contracted Amazon Delivery Service Partners this past summer.
Since then, more vans have continued to hit the streets, bringing the holiday shopping season total to more than 1,000 Amazon electric delivery vans (or EDVs as Amazon calls them), which have delivered packages in more than 100 cities across the country. Amazon is aiming to have 100,000 EDVs from Rivian deployed by 2030.
While sustainability targets and ESG scores have tended to dominate story lines concerning EV acquisition at the fleet level, it’s Amazon’s drivers in this case which are getting some attention given their ongoing praise for these high-tech, zero-emission workhorses.
Amazon branding is shown on the electric van's steering wheel which can be heated on cold days. Drivers can also choose to heat and cool their seats.Amazon Rivian electric van interior
“We started making deliveries with the electric vehicles from Rivan in August, and my team has had nothing but good things to say about the vans,” Dennis said. “The safety features, like the automatic emergency braking and 360-degree cameras, are game changers, and the drivers also love the overall comfort of the vehicle.”
Amazon driver Darin Watkins called his electric van a “showstopper” that he enjoys driving through neighborhoods.
