Retail giant Amazon has started rolling out its Rivian-developed Electric Delivery Van (EDV) in Europe, following a redevelopment process to adapt it for dense European cities.
The result is a van shorter and narrower-bodied than that which began operating in the US a year ago. Autocar has contacted a spokesperson for clarification on by exactly how much.
A host of driver-assistance technologies have been added to the EDV to mitigate its blindspots, including a collision-warning system, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
For convenience, it features automatic door locks, plus a powered bulkhead that opens through to the load bay when the van reaches a delivery destination.
This function relies on a new software package that automatically provides access to the delivery route, navigation and driver support through the van, rather than relying on an external app.
The first 300 European EDVs will be deployed in Germany, operating from Amazon sites in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Munich, joining a fleet of 1000 existing electric vans from other brands in the country.
“We’re very excited about our future in the region,” said Dagan Mishoulam, vice-president of strategy and go-to-market for Rivian.
Rocco Bräuniger, country manager for Amazon Germany, added: “Last year, we delivered more than 45 million packages in Germany with electric vans and e-cargo bikes, and these new additions from Rivian will help us deliver packages more sustainably and to more customers.”
Amazon announced it had placed an order for 100,000 Rivian EDVs in September 2019, having led a $700 million (then £544m) investment round in the EV start-up the February prior.
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I wonder whether it will make it to the UK with us being a right hand drive market. That said there is an argument that a lhd vehicle is easier to get into and out of if you are doing multiple short distant street deliveries.
Plz bring this van to the UK.