Whether you’re a major operator, like Amazon, or simply operate a single vehicle for a local business, EV maker Rivan is opening up sales of its commercial van to all fleet buyers. The move comes as Rivian ends its exclusive deal with Amazon – and resolves a component shortage that had limited its ability to produce the battery-electric vans.
An Amazon version of Rivian’s commercial electric van.
EV maker Rivian today opened up sales of its commercial van to fleet buyers of all sizes.
Until recently, the trucks were sold only to Amazon under an exclusive deal that will eventually provide the online retailer with 100,000 of the EVs. Though the exclusive arrangement ended more than a year ago Rivian faced component shortages that continued to limit availability of the electric vans.
“Over the last year we have been focusing our efforts on testing with some larger fleets, and we’re really pleased with how those trials have gone,” Tom Solomon, Senior Director, Business Development, Rivian, said in a statement. “As a result, we’re excited to now be able to open sales to fleets of all sizes in the US, whether they want 1 van or thousands.”
Amazon and Rivian
Until recently, Rivian faced supplier issues limiting the production of its commercial electric van.
Rivian is best known for its two retail battery-electric vehicles, the R1S SUV and R1T pickup – with several new consumer–focused models, including the R2 SUV in the works. But it also has been rolling out an electric delivery van as part of a deal announced with Amazon five years ago this month.
The Rivian Commercial Van uses a unique design – though, as with the R1S and R1T models it relies on a skateboard-like platform that moves the electric drivetrain under the load floor to increase available cargo space.
Under their deal, Rivian is due to provide 100,000 of what was initially named the Electric Delivery Van to Amazon by 2030. It has so far handed over about 20,000. The 4-year deal ran through 2023. But supplier issues limited Rivian’s ability to open up sales until recently.
What’s new
Rivian ATT Van
Rivian began a pilot program aimed at growing its buyer base after the Amazon exclusive was completed. It began by working with the wireless side of U.S. communications giant AT&T. It has not provided details on that program.
Efforts to expand production ran into a snag, however. Like a number of other automotive manufacturers, Rivian has faced problems sourcing the necessary components – and issue that impacted sales of the R1S and R1T models, as well as the delivery van.
It began working through those headaches late last year and now has enough of a supply to open up sales of the electric van to all fleet buyers.
Opening up sales is critical to Rivian’s long-term future, according to analysts, especially as more players enter the electric van market, such as Ford Pro.
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Booming demand
Depending upon which of two models, the Rivian Commercial Van offers as much as 652 cubic feet of cargo space.
While growth in demand for retail EVs slowed last year, interest in commercial vans, especially those used for delivery services, has been booming. Part of the appeal comes from a growing corporate commitment by companies like AT&T to reduce global warming emissions.
It is “imperative we do all we can as soon as possible to cut emissions,” said Dagan Mishoulam, Rivian’s VP of Strategy & Fleet, when the AT&T pilot was announced. He noted that roughly a quarter of U.S. CO2 emissions are produced by commercial vans – a figure that has grown over the past two decades with the rise of online shopping.
But other factors enhance the appeal to commercial customers. EV operating costs are notably lower than those of traditional gas and diesel-powered vans – especially for users like Amazon and Rivian that follow relatively stable routes and who can then charge back up at fleet depots during off-hours.
The Rivian Van
The Rivian fleet currently consists of two commercial van versions, the R1S SUV and the R1T pickup.
The order bank has now opened for the Rivian Commercial Van, with pricing starting at $79,900 for the RCV500 model. It boasts an estimated range of 161 miles per charge and can haul a payload of up to 2,734 pounds. It has a length of 248.5 inches, with a wheelbase of 157.5 inches and an interior cargo volume of 487 cubic feet.
The RCV700 starts at $83,900. It’s stretched to 278 inches in length, with a wheelbase of 187.0 inches. The cargo volume is increased to 652 cf – but the payload drops slightly, to 2,513 lbs. Range also dips slightly, to an estimated 153 miles per charge.
Both models use a single, front-mounted electric motor.
While Rivian now will make the Commercial Van available to all fleet customers the company noted that the emphasis is on business applications. It will not be sold to retail buyers. For now, at least, there is no plan to make the truck available for overlanders and other personal buyers.
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