There's been a lot of interest in the Michigan-based EV upstart Rivian's R1T pick-up truck, and R1S SUV, so we shouldn't be surprised that their latest vehicle, the Amazon delivery van, is also garnering plenty of attention. Alex Guberman of E for Electric recently attended a Rivian event in California and spoke with Rivian's CEO, RJ Scaringe about the van.

When asked about how Rivian will handle manufacturing the R1T pickup and the R1S SUV and then be able to start making the Amazon van shortly after, Scaringe explained why he doesn't see that as a problem:

Because the skateboards are shared; battery, drivetrain, and cooling systems are common, almost identically the same between the two, allows us to go really fast on the Amazon program.

Rivian Amazon Delivery Van

Amazon has ordered 100,000 Rivian electric vans which aligns with the company's commitment to adhere to the Paris Climate Agreement. The Paris Accord's goals aim for companies to go completely emissions-free by 2050, but Amazon has set an individual goal of 2040, ten years earlier.

"We are focused on driving efficiency into every aspect of the vehicle design—everything from cabin heating to driver ergonomics to drivetrain design has been optimized for time and energy. And then the echo effect of this, of causing other logistics players in this space to also look at how they drive up efficiency within their fleet, will have a very large impact." - Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe

In the video, Guberman points out some things he noticed at the Rivian event and explains why he thinks they are nice, unique features for the Amazon van. He specifically looks into three key finds he had and discusses why he believes these features matter.  

Check out the video and let us know what you think in the comment section. Also, if you're a Rivian fan, please visit our RivianChat forum to see more coverage and engage in discussions on Rivian's vehicles, the Amazon van included.

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