Rivian's Amazon Van Got A Big Upgrade To Cover More Routes

The lovable electric delivery van is now shipping with a longer-range battery, as well as an all-wheel-drive version with 710 hp.

Photo by: Rivian

By: Iulian Dnistran

Oct 30, at 3:47am ET

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Rivian has expanded the powertrain options for its electric delivery van.
The startup has added a larger-capacity battery and a dual-motor variant to the lineup.
The additions apply to both the Amazon-branded EDV and the general-purpose RCV.

Rivian’s only commercial model has long been America’s best-selling electric van, thanks in no small part to the 100,000-strong order from Amazon. And now, the lovable EV is even more appealing, thanks to two big updates that are already shipping.

The Rivian Commercial Van (RCV), which is also known as the Electric Delivery Van (EDV), can be specced with a larger-capacity battery pack that increases the driving range by about 30% compared to the standard-range models. Additionally, a dual-motor option that adds an electric motor on the rear axle was added to the lineup, improving performance and usability on rough roads.

Photo by: Rivian

“In addition to the EDV standard pack variant already on the road, in early October we began delivering new variants that are specifically designed to expand route coverage into more rural networks, including an AWD configuration as well as a larger battery pack that offers a 30% increase in range,” Rivian said in its third-quarter earnings report.

According to EPA filings submitted by the California company, the Large battery pack has a usable energy capacity of 129 kilowatt-hours, up from the Standard pack’s 90 kWh, and is only available on the long-wheelbase versions of the van. The all-wheel drive option, which is also exclusive to the 700 body version, pairs two Enduro motors for a total output of 710 horsepower (530 kilowatts).

Rivian Commercial Van powertrain versions

Photo by: Rivian

The Large battery uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, just like the Standard model. Range-wise, the larger-capacity pack enables roughly 220 miles on the front-wheel-drive EDV 700 model, according to the EPA certification filing, which is 37% more than the standard-range version. Meanwhile, the EDV 700 with the Large battery and AWD should deliver approximately 200 miles of range on a full charge. Rivian has not revealed the final range figures for the newly added powertrain configurations yet.

The spec sheet suggests that the 129 kWh battery is roughly 1,000 pounds heavier than the standard-range pack, while the rear-mounted electric motor adds another 450 pounds to the mix. As a result, the fully-loaded long-wheelbase Rivian van has a curb weight of 8,677 lbs and a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 lbs. By contrast, the entry-level short-wheelbase model with the Standard battery and front-wheel drive weighs roughly 7,000 lbs and has a GVWR of 9,500 lbs.

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All Rivian vans come from the factory with 19-inch wheels and a CCS1 charging port that can accept up to 100 kW from a DC fast charger. On AC charging, the electric delivery can take in up to 11 kW from a 240-volt, 48-ampere Level 2 charger. Rivian said it would provide NACS charging adapters as an opt-out option, enabling the van to use NACS fast chargers.

According to Cox Automotive data, Rivian sold 15,685 EDVs and RCVs from January through September, making it the best-selling electric commercial van in the United States by a wide margin.