Amazon has begun testing electric delivery vehicles in Los Angeles as part of the company’s pledge to be carbon neutral by 2040.
The shipping giant has partnered with Rivian, a U.S.-based electric car manufacturing company, on the project. Amazon says it plans to purchase 100,000 electric delivery vehicles and hopes to begin testing electric delivery vehicles in as many as 15 cities in 2021.
“We’re loving the enthusiasm from customers so far—from the photos we see online to the car fans who stop our drivers for a first-hand look at the vehicle,” said Ross Rachey, Amazon director of global fleet and products. “From what we’ve seen, this is one of the fastest modern commercial electrification programs, and we’re incredibly proud of that.”
Rivian was founded in 2009 and received significant investment in recent years. Amazon invested $700 million and Ford invested $500 million in 2018. Last year, Rivian added an additional $2.5 billion round of funding. The company operates facilities in the United States, UK and Canada.
“Rivian’s purpose is to deliver products that the world didn’t already have, to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation,” Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said. “This milestone is one example of how Rivian and Amazon are working toward the world of 2040. We hope it inspires other companies to fundamentally change the way that they operate.”
Amazon and Rivian began testing vehicles four months prior to making customer deliveries, as part of the testing and development process. Amazon is working with Rivian to conduct additional testing of the vehicle’s performance, safety durability in various climates and geographies, as engineers continue to refine the vehicles for the start of production slated for the end of this year. The current fleet of vehicles was built at Rivian’s studio in Plymouth, Mich. and can drive up to 150 miles on a single charge.
Amazon has also started getting its buildings ready to accommodate the new fleet of vehicles and has installed thousands of electric vehicle charging stations at its delivery stations across North America and Europe.
Along with custom electric delivery vehicles, Amazon is exploring new technologies, alternative fuels, and delivery methods that deliver packages to customers in a more sustainable way. Amazon currently operates thousands of electric vehicles worldwide and is redesigning its delivery stations to service electric vehicles—ranging from the electrical design to the physical layout.
The post Amazon testing electric delivery vehicles in LA appeared first on fooddeliverynews.com.
No Comments
Leave a comment Cancel