Tag: vans
Rivian’s electric delivery vans could soon be available to companies other than Amazon
Rivian’s electric delivery van might not be Amazon-exclusive for much longer. The Wall Street Journalsources claim Rivian is in talks with Amazon to end the exclusivity portion of their 2019 purchase agreement. The EV maker is reportedly unhappy that Amazon ordered 10,000 vans this year, at the low end of a previously mentioned range. The termination would let Rivian boost its sales by courting other customers.
The exact terms of the proposed changes aren’t available. The talks are continuing, the sources say.
We’ve asked Rivian for comment. An Amazon spokesperson tells Engadget Rivian is still an “important partner” and that it still expects to buy 100,000 vans by 2030. The deal hasn’t changed, the company adds. At the same time, the representative says Amazon wants “others to benefit” from Rivian technology, as having more electric delivery vehicles in service ultimately helps everyone.
The Amazon pact remains important for Rivian’s finances. The vans currently represent one third of Rivian’s production volume, and are helping to bolster manufacturing numbers that are still tiny compared to rivals like Tesla. Rivian only made 24,337 vehicles in 2022. Larger van orders would significantly expand the company’s output and provide greater financial stability while the firm ramps up sales of its R1S SUV and R1T pickup, and works on its more affordable R2 line.
Rivian still has a large cash reserve thanks in part to Amazon’s large investment in the EV startup. However, it’s still struggling to reach profitability and has engaged in two rounds of layoffs over the past year to address a tough economy, rising costs and shrinking access to funds. There’s pressure on the company to avoid future cutbacks, and improved sales will help on that front.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rivians-electric-delivery-vans-could-soon-be-available-to-companies-other-than-amazon-164958066.html?src=rss
The USPS is buying 9,250 Ford electric vans
The United States Postal Service isn’t pinning all its electrification hopes on next-gen mail delivery vehicles. The service has signed a contract to buy 9,250 Ford E-Transit electric vans, with the first units arriving in December. The handover should be complete by the end of 2024, Ford adds. The USPS is also placing its early orders for over 14,000 charging stations for its facilities across the country.
The USPS already plans to buy at least 60,000 of its Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV) by 2028, with 75 percent of them being electric. The Ford vans are part of an additional plan to buy 21,000 “off-the-shelf” EVs. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says this helps the USPS quickly act on a strategy that improves mail service and working conditions while keeping costs down for the self-sufficient agency. The total vehicle investment is expected to cost $9.6 billion, including $3 billion in funding thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.
The charging network may not grow as quickly. The USPS expects to provide chargers to at least 75 locations within the next year, but doesn’t estimate how it will expand in following years.
The overall EV push represents a sharp break from the initial plans. The USPS originally expected that most of its NGDV orders would be for gas-based trucks. The Biden administration fought that approach, claiming that the USPS under DeJoy ignored Environmental Protection Agency advice, rejected public hearings and relied on “biased” estimates. The service challenged the administration before relenting and shifting most of its purchases to electric models.
The transition will play an important part in the government’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions for itself and the country at large. The USPS represents the largest federal vehicle fleet — its EV purchases will have a significant impact relative to other agencies.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-usps-is-buying-9250-ford-electric-vans-213034903.html?src=rss
EPA Tightens Rules on Pollution From Vans, Buses and Trucks
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
EV startup Arrival to refocus business on electric vans for the US market
In 2018, fledgling EV maker Arrival partnered with UPS to build a new generation of electric delivery vans, beginning with a pilot fleet of 35 vehicles, for use in both the US and Europe. The company quickly expanded its scope from there, working on plans for an electrified bus, an EV rideshare vehicle for Uber and an $11.5 million battery plant. However, on Thursday the company abruptly announced that it has decided to shutter its bus and automotive projects to instead “refocus its resources on the US market while further advancing its enabling technologies.”
In a press release Thursday, the company stated that “scaling production in the Bicester [UK] microfactory requires significant further investment in hard tooling and working capital and the Company has determined that the benefits of such an investment would be best directed to the US market.” As such, the company will restructure and focus its efforts on the Van and the underlying tech that makes it run.
Arrival cites the US EV tax credit as a major influence on its decision, noting that the Inflation Reduction Act is, “expected to offer between $7,500 to $40,000 for commercial vehicles, [a] large addressable market size, and substantially better margins.” Unfortunately, the company will have to (ugh, their words) “right size” the UK workforce, as in layoffs.
Rivian and Mercedes are teaming up to build electric vans more quickly
Rivian and Mercedes-Benz are teaming up with the aim of building large electric vans more quickly. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a strategic partnership and set up a joint venture manufacturing company. They’re hoping to use their shared resources to reduce costs and make electric vans more affordable while ramping up production.
The goal is to produce two vans on common assembly lines. One would be based on Mercedes‑Benz Vans’ VAN.EA architecture. The other would center around Rivian’s second-gen Rivian Light Van platform. The two sides will also look into “further options for increased synergies.”
The companies aim to build the EVs in a new factory at an existing Mercedes-Benz site in central or eastern Europe, starting in a few years. The plan isn’t set in stone, though, as Rivian and Mercedes-Benz haven’t reached a binding agreement and they would need to clear regulatory hurdles.
Mercedes-Benz Vans and Rivian sign a Memorandum of Understanding for a strategic partnership. The planned joint venture will produce large electric vans for Mercedes-Benz and Rivian in Europe, starting in a few years. https://t.co/PSku0tLl3Fpic.twitter.com/v8XdXWT3qX
— Mercedes-Benz Press (@MB_Press) September 8, 2022
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Mercedes‑Benz on this project,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a statement. “Mercedes‑Benz is one of the world’s best known and respected automotive companies, and we believe that together we will produce truly remarkable electric vans which will not only benefit our customers, but the planet.”
Both companies have already been working on electric vans, with Rivian having an agreement to build 100,000 of them for Amazon. However, Rivian has endured some turmoil in recent months. It’s not building EVs quickly enough to meet demand. It recently laid off six percent of employees in order to funnel more resources into building vehicles. The company is setting up a second EV factory in Georgia, but production won’t start there until 2024. Teaming up with Mercedes to create common production lines could help it to build electric vans faster.
From Mercedes’ perspective, this is part of a broader strategy to accelerate the transition to electric vans. The company said it is revamping its European production setup and that, by the middle of this decade, all of its new vans will be entirely electric.