Amazon recently revealed a prototype of its first custom electric delivery vehicle. The vehicle has been designed and built in partnership with Rivian, an American automaker and automotive technology company.
The company has signed The Climate Pledge last year which is a commitment to meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early. It calls on signatories to be net zero carbon across their businesses by 2040 — a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement goal of 2050. Under this Amazon plans to launch 10,000 custom electric delivery vehicles on the road delivering to customers worldwide as early as 2022 and all 100,000 by 2030.
Amazon’s custom electric vehicle is packed with design features including:
- State-of-the-art sensor detection, a suite of highway and traffic assist technology, and a large windshield to enhance driver visibility.
- Exterior cameras around the vehicle that are linked to a digital display inside the cabin, giving the driver a 360-degree view outside the vehicle.
- Alexa integration for hands-free access to route information and the latest weather updates.
- A strengthened door on the driver’s side for additional protection.
- A “dancefloor” inside the driver’s cabin for easy movement inside the van.
- Bright tail lights surrounding the rear of the vehicle to easily detect braking.
- Three levels of shelving with a bulkhead door, which can easily be opened and closed for additional driver protection while on the road.
The company announced that it’s adding 1,800 electric delivery vehicles this year to its fleet in Europe and is also adding 10,000 electric delivery vehicles to its fleet in India, operating in over 20 cities by 2025. In the EU, Amazon also uses e-cargo bikes for deliveries in some urban centers and operates 200 e-cargo bikes in the New York City area.
