- Rivian EDV for fleet customers starts at $82,900
- Up to 161-mile range from 100-kwh LFP battery pack
- Amazon already has more than 20,000 Rivian electric vans, of its ordered 30,000 by 2030
Rivian electric vans will soon be carrying more than just Amazon packages.
On Monday the automaker announced that it is opening sales of its commercial vans to fleet customers beyond Amazon, which originally got Rivian into the commercial vehicle business.
Rivian was exclusive with Amazon for such vehicles initially, starting in 2019, when it announced an order for 100,000 vans by 2030 as part of a $440 million investment in Rivian. But Rivian has been looking to expand sales to other customers once its exclusivity with Amazon ended. The automaker has been trialing vans “with several large fleets” to lay the groundwork for that, according to a Rivian press release.
Called the EDV (short for Electric Delivery Van), the first examples headed out into the world making Amazon deliveries in 2021. Amazon now has more than 20,000 of the vans in its fleet, according to a Rivian press release.
Rivian Commercial Van
Now dubbed the Rivian Commercial Van, the mass-market version shares design cues with the EDV used by Amazon. It will be offered in two configurations badged 500 and 700 priced at $82,900 and $86,900, respectively, including the $3,000 destination fee. The shorter 500 measures 248.5 inches long with a 157.5-inch wheelbase, while the 700 stretches to 278 inches long, with a 187-inch wheelbase.
The 500 has 487 cubic feet of cargo space and a 2,663-pound payload rating, while the 700 has 652 cubic feet of cargo space and a 2,258-pound payload rating. Both versions have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 9,500 pounds.
Rivian Commercial Van
Both versions are front-wheel drive, with a single motor providing 320 hp and 299 lb-ft of torque. A lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack with 100 kwh usable provides up to 161 miles of range in the 500 and 160 miles in the 700—both based on EPA drive cycles but not official EPA ratings. While Rivian has said it will adopt the Tesla NACS connector for its passenger vehicles at some point, the Commercial Van will start shipping with a CCS connector providing 100 kw of DC fast-charging power. The AC charging rate is 11 kw.
Other automakers also offer electric vans but many, such as the Ram ProMaster EV, Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, and Ford E-Transit, are electrified versions of combustion designs. General Motors’ Chevrolet BrightDrop vans, on the other hand, leverage the same component set as the automaker’s current electric passenger vehicles. Mercedes is also planning electric vans based on a dedicated architecture, called Van.EA, to be previewed by a concept vehicle later this year.
