Rivian’s Amazon electric delivery vans deployed for road testing in Los Angeles

[TruckElectric]

In an announcement on Wednesday, Amazon revealed that it has begun testing some of its Rivian-made electric delivery vans in Los Angeles. The vehicles are custom-built according to Amazon’s specifications through the EV automakers’ skateboard platform, and are capable of traveling 150 miles per charge.

Amazon and Rivian’s electric delivery van project was announced in September 2019, when the e-commerce giant stated that it would be buying 100,000 delivery vehicles from the electric truck maker as part of its aim to achieve zero net carbon emissions in its performances by 2040, a full decade ahead of the Paris Agreement. Amazon also launched a fund to help accomplish this goal, investing in Rivian as part of its pledge.

In a blog post, Amazon noted that the deployment of its first Rivian-made all-electric delivery vans is just the beginning. This year, the e-commerce giant aims to test the vehicles in 15 additional cities, ahead of tens of thousands of the vehicles being deployed to the road over the next few years. Ross Rachey, Director of Amazon’s Global Fleet and Products, noted that the reception to the Rivian-made vans has proven very positive so far.

“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. From what we’ve seen, this is one of the fastest modern commercial electrification programs, and we’re incredibly proud of that,” Rachley said.

To support the rollout of its first Rivian-made EVs and to prepare for the arrival of more of the vehicles, Amazon has initiated efforts to build a charging infrastructure for its vans. The e-commerce giant has installed thousands of electric vehicle charging stations in North America and Europe, and more are planned in the near future.

Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe, for his part, has noted that the EV maker’s customizable skateboard platform played a huge part in the creation of Amazon’s electric delivery vans. “Rivian’s purpose is to deliver products that the world didn’t already have, to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation. This milestone is one example of how Rivian and Amazon are working toward the world of 2040, and we hope it inspires other companies to fundamentally change the way that they operate,” Scaringe said.

Watch Amazon’s new video of its Rivian delivery vans below.




SOURCE: TESLARATI

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[ldjessee]

Now if they would just pay all their employees a living wage.

 

[TruckElectric]

Now if they would just pay all their employees a living wage.

I wonder what their delivery drivers make compared to UPS or FEDEX?

 

[Crissa]

I wonder what their delivery drivers make compared to UPS or FEDEX?

Dunno. As they start having trucks and uniforms, they're using fewer contractors, and they seem more competent, less frantic. Still overworked, but able to (currently) say their route was too long for the scheduled day.

-Crissa

 

[azjohn]

Dunno. As they start having trucks and uniforms, they're using fewer contractors, and they seem more competent, less frantic. Still overworked, but able to (currently) say their route was too long for the scheduled day.

-Crissa

Back in the 80s I worked at the largest UPS hub on the east coast and it was frantic, I don't think it matters what company they all are its the nature of the business. You day ends when all the packages get delivered. When I was working for them drivers usually didnt last long ( less than 5 yrs)

 

[Crissa]

Back in the 80s I worked at the largest UPS hub on the east coast and it was frantic, I don't think it matters what company they all are its the nature of the business. You day ends when all the packages get delivered. When I was working for them drivers usually didnt last long ( less than 5 yrs)

That's bad when their computers don't know the routes and put more packages on them than they can deliver. The maps in the mountains here include lots of aspirational or straight 'this was plotted without regard to the terrain' roads.

-Crissa

 

[madquadbiker]

Now if they would just pay all their employees a living wage.

And their fair share of tax.

 

[ldjessee]

And their fair share of tax.

I think that will require laws to change, such as a simplified tax code (flat tax for corporations and individuals) will make it easier to reduce loop holes.

 

[cybrtrk_maybe]

I think that will require laws to change, such as a simplified tax code (flat tax for corporations and individuals) will make it easier to reduce loop holes.

Better yet, IMO, no tax on income, only on tangible items.

 

[FutureBoy]

Better yet, IMO, no tax on income, only on tangible items.

Do you mean like in England where they run around each year collecting tax on how many tv's you have? Why would you continue to want to pay tax on items you own? Sales tax is already a thing. I wouldn't want to keep paying tax on things just because I kept them.

Though there is a bit of tax on cars and property every year so in a sense we already do have it.

The real issue I have with having sales tax and not taxing income is that it is really regressive. And yet here I live in supposedly progressive Washington state and this is exactly the setup we have.

 

[Crissa]

Better yet, IMO, no tax on income, only on tangible items.

That's a recipe for runaway regressive taxation.

-Crissa

 

[cybrtrk_maybe]

Either I didn't give enough information or you misunderstood what I meant. When tangible items are purchased. When you buy a TV, then you pay tax on it. When you buy a car then you pay tax on it. When you earn money from doing something you do, then you don't pay tax on it. When you earn money on something you sell, then you collect the tax from the person you sell it to and pay the tax on it.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

Either I didn't give enough information or you misunderstood what I meant. When tangible items are purchased. When you buy a TV, then you pay tax on it. When you buy a car then you pay tax on it. When you earn money from doing something you do, then you don't pay tax on it. When you earn money on something you sell, then you collect the tax from the person you sell it to and pay the tax on it.

Sales tax is the worst form of tax. It's regressive, in that it hits poorer people harder by percentage of income.

 

[DarinCT]

And... back on topic now...

Rivian supposedly has a "skateboard platform".

This is simultaneously cool and stupid. Truck, van, utility vehicle, fullll size sedan are all possibilities, with economies of scale still being a benefit. Potentially change the center frame length and battery pack size and voila you have mid-size or CUV.

The part that's stupid is the name. Skateboards are all things that vehicles are not, wooden, crackable, bad suspension, no brakes, and a bunch of other things. I get the sense that Rivian is run by engineers, which isn't necessarily bad, they just need a little help with naming conventions.

I wonder how long it will be before we have custom hacks mixing Rivian and Tesla frames and packs.

 

[Crissa]

Either I didn't give enough information or you misunderstood what I meant. When tangible items are purchased. When you buy a TV, then you pay tax on it. When you buy a car then you pay tax on it. When you earn money from doing something you do, then you don't pay tax on it. When you earn money on something you sell, then you collect the tax from the person you sell it to and pay the tax on it.

That's a recipe for runaway regressive taxation.

Those 'with stuff' don't spend as much of their wealth (and hence wouldn't face taxes as often) as those with less stuff, as a portion of their wealth.

The part that's stupid is the name. Skateboards are all things that vehicles are not, wooden, crackable, bad suspension, no brakes, and a bunch of other things.

The first skateboards were metal and plastic, not wood. And modern skateboards do have suspension, and some even have brakes!

And this is what the form factor is called. It's been called this for about three decades, at least. Bit late to complain.

-Crissa