Rivian EDV – Wikipedia

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The Rivian EDV (electric delivery van) is a battery-electric cargo vehicle built by Rivian exclusively for its investor Amazon, which will use the EDV for package delivery. The EDV uses the RCV (Rivian Commercial Vehicle) platform, which is derived from the R1 platform that underpins the manufacturer’s R1T pickup truck and R1S sport-utility vehicles, and is built in three sizes. Specific models (ordered by increasing size) include the EDV-500, EDV-700, and EDV-900.

History[edit]

In February 2019, Amazon announced it was leading a $700 million investment in Rivian.[1] That September, Amazon Logistics ordered 100,000 battery electric delivery vehicles[2] as part of a collaborative design effort between Rivian and Amazon.[3] Initial schedules stated the first vans would be delivered to Amazon in 2021,[4][5] with as many as 10,000 electric vans in operation by 2022, and the full order to be fulfilled by 2024.[6] However, that date was later revised to 2030.[7] The Rivian collaboration is part of Amazon’s plan to convert its delivery fleet to 100% renewable energy by 2030.[8] Amazon also will source electric vans and three-wheelers from other OEMs, such as Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz Group, and Mahindra.[9]

By February 2020, Rivian had shown a full-size clay model of the van.[10] A prototype Amazon electric delivery van with 150-mile (240 km) range was tested on public roads in early 2021, starting in Los Angeles[11] and San Francisco.[12] By April 2021, testing had expanded to Denver[13] with additional plans to test in sixteen more U.S. cities in different climate zones. Tests in Oklahoma and Michigan were underway by July 2021.[12] The first production EDV, an EDV-700, was completed in December 2021 and delivered to Amazon.[14]: 12 

Deployment of the electric delivery vans began in nine U.S. cities in July 2022.[15][16] By November, Amazon stated it had more than 1,000 EDVs in operation which had delivered a collective 5 million packages.[17] It is expected, based on the presence of a non-Amazon trim code, that Rivian will market the van to fleet owners in the future.[18]

Specifications[edit]

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Rivian EDV-700 operated by Amazon, rear view
Rivian EDV summary[19]
Parameter EDV-500 EDV-700 EDV-900
Range <150 mi (240 km) <120 mi (190 km)
Wheelbase 157 in (4,000 mm) 187 in (4,700 mm) 205 in (5,200 mm)
Length 248 in (6,300 mm) 277 in (7,000 mm) 321 in (8,200 mm)
Cargo area 500 cu ft (14 m3) 660 cu ft (19 m3) 840 cu ft (24 m3)
GVWR 9,350 lb (4,240 kg) 14,000 lb (6,400 kg)

The van will be built in three sizes, with nominal storage capacities of 500, 700, or 900 cu ft (14, 20, or 25 m3). Each size will share the same stand-up interior height, but the smallest model will be narrower than the others. All of the vans will be built on the same platform—basic electrical and network architecture, ECUs, and battery-pack design—as the Rivian R1 models, and will use a basic single-motor e-axle drive unit. The van is to be produced exclusively for Amazon, and will be built with a steel chassis on a “low-feature-content” assembly line to keep costs down. The van is explicitly designed to allow Amazon to reduce costs and shrink its carbon footprint.[20]

Platform and drivetrain[edit]

The RCV platform uses a typical electric vehicle skateboard-type chassis with double wishbone front suspension and a twist beam trailing arm rear suspension on a steel ladder frame. The coil-sprung rear axle uses a track bar for lateral support, while the front suspension uses a transverse composite leaf spring.[21] Payload capacity ranges from 1,960 to 2,750 lb (890 to 1,250 kg).[22]

According to a vehicle identification number encoding document that Rivian filed with the NHTSA, there will be three drivetrain options: front-wheel drive using one or two traction motors, or all-wheel drive with two motors.[18] The first EDV-700s have a single-motor front-wheel drive arrangement.[21]

The high-voltage traction battery is carried beneath the body floor.[21] Initially, only one traction battery size will be manufactured. Details on battery composition and capacity are not yet available;[23] however, Rivian have announced they plan to migrate commercial vehicle batteries to a lithium iron phosphate chemistry, sized to meet a target range of 150 mi (240 km).[24] The EDV-900, which has the largest cargo volume, is expected to receive a smaller battery; because Amazon typically delivers bulky yet relatively light packages, the largest vans most likely will operate in dense neighborhoods, which would not require a very long range.[23] Charging speeds of up to 150 kW are possible.[22]

Because the EDV-500 will be used in Europe, it has a narrower width than the -700,[14]: 12  and the -500 also is available in a right-hand drive version.[18] Externally, the different sizes can be distinguished by counting the number of “segments” behind the side doors: the EDV-500 has three, the -700 has four, and the -900 has five.[21]

Safety[edit]

To aid the driver’s vision, the van is equipped with an enlarged windshield and stitched exterior cameras that are used to display a view of the entire surroundings. For visibility to other motorists, the rear sides and roof of the van are outlined with a large red taillight.[21][25] Warning noises were developed through testing in Seattle that ensured the vans would be audible to pedestrians outdoors but not people inside buildings.[26] The EDV also is equipped with radar which along with the cameras enables advanced driver-assistance systems including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance.[23][27]

The curb-side door is a sliding door, while the street-side door for the driver is a conventional forward-hinged door, which provides better side impact resistance.[23] The rear cargo area is accessed either through an exterior roll-up door or an interior sliding door separating the cargo area from the driver’s compartment;[27] input from Amazon delivery partners resulted in non-slip steps integrated into the rear bumper and handgrips to aid access.

Styling[edit]

The front of the vehicle was deliberately styled to be friendly and appealing, featuring circular headlights surrounded by semi-circular rings that act as daytime running lights or turn indicators;[6] Jason Torchinsky wrote the EDV “looks friendly and eager, like a whale who’s here to help.”[21]

The EDV is equipped with large touchscreens and navigation software to aid the driver on their route.[28]

References[edit]

  1. ^ “Rivian lands $700M investment commitment led by Amazon”. Automotive News. February 15, 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. ^ Capparella, Joey (September 19, 2019). “Amazon Buys In to Rivian Electric-Truck Startup, Has Reportedly Ordered 100,000 Delivery Vans”. Car and Driver. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  3. ^ Coyle, Meg (February 2020). “Go behind the scenes as Amazon develops a new electric vehicle”. About Amazon [blog]. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  4. ^ Channick, Robert (19 September 2019). “‘We have a new automaker, for real’: Rivian to build 100,000 electric vans for Amazon at its Illinois factory, starting in 2021″. Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. ^ “FORM 10-Q”. U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. December 16, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  6. ^ a b Capparella, Joey (September 19, 2019). “Rivian’s New Amazon Delivery Vans Look Adorable”. Car and Driver. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  7. ^ Lin, Kelly (2019-09-19). “Rivian Electric Commercial Van Will Soon Deliver Your Amazon Packages”. Motor Trend. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  8. ^ “Amazon is purchasing 100,000 Rivian Electric Vans”. CNBC. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  9. ^ Weise, Karen & Boudette, Neal E. (18 January 2022). “Can Anyone Satisfy Amazon’s Craving for Electric Vans?”. The New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  10. ^ Baldwin, Roberto (February 4, 2020). “Rivian and Amazon Share a Glimpse at Their Electric Delivery Van”. Car and Driver. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  11. ^ Alvarez, Simon (3 February 2021). “Rivian’s Amazon electric delivery vans deployed for road testing in Los Angeles”. Teslarati. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  12. ^ a b Loveday, Steven (30 July 2021). “Rivian All-Electric Amazon Delivery Vans Testing On Detroit Roads”. InsideEVs. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  13. ^ Chuang, Tamarra (27 April 2021). “Amazon’s first electric vans started delivering packages in the Denver area this week”. Colorado Sun. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  14. ^ a b “Rivian Q4 2021 Shareholder Letter” (PDF). Rivian Automotive. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  15. ^ “Amazon begins deploying its Rivian electric delivery vehicles”. Green Car Congress. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  16. ^ Iliff, Laurence (July 21, 2022). “Rivian rolls out its first batch of electric Amazon delivery vans”. Automotive News. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  17. ^ Hawkins, Andrew J. (November 7, 2022). “Amazon says it has ‘over a thousand’ Rivian electric vans making deliveries in the US”. The Verge. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  18. ^ a b c Segura, Eleonor (October 22, 2021). “2022 Rivian Amazon Prime Van Model Names and Trims Revealed”. Motor Trend. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  19. ^ Ruffo, Gustavo Henrique (7 February 2022). “Rivian Delivery Vans Will Have Three Derivatives – EDV 500, 700, and 900”. Auto Evolution. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  20. ^ Markus, Frank (8 July 2021). “Future Cars: 2022 Rivian Amazon Prime Van Is One Special Delivery Vehicle”. Motor Trend. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  21. ^ a b c d e f Tracy, David (April 21, 2022). “What I Found When I Crawled Under Rivian’s Amazon Delivery Van”. The Autopian. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  22. ^ a b “Fleet: Rivian Commercial Van specifications”. Rivian. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  23. ^ a b c d Markus, Frank (February 17, 2021). “Amazon’s Rivian Prime Electric Delivery Van Deep Dive: What’s in the Box”. Motor Trend. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  24. ^ Kolodny, Lora (March 10, 2022). “Rivian will follow Tesla and change the type of battery cells it uses in standard packs”. CNBC. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  25. ^ Lin, Kelly (October 8, 2020). “Rivian’s Amazon Delivery Van Finally Hits the Road in New Video”. Motor Trend. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  26. ^ Andy Jassy; R. J. Scaringe (July 22, 2022). “Amazon and Rivian CEOs on innovating to protect the planet” (Interview). About Amazon. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  27. ^ a b Baldwin, Roberto (October 8, 2020). “Amazon Shows hPrototype of Its Rivian-Built Electric Delivery Van”. Car and Driver. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  28. ^ Ewing, Jack; Weise, Karen (July 21, 2022). “Amazon Wants 100,000 Electric Vans. Can Rivian Deliver?”. The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2022.

External links[edit]

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