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Amazon just showed off its first custom electric van of a planned 100,000 vehicle fleet — take a look at the delivery van of the future complete with Alexa built-in

Mary Meisenzahl   

Amazon just showed off its first custom electric van of a planned 100,000 vehicle fleet — take a look at the delivery van of the future complete with Alexa built-in
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.Amazon
  • Amazon just revealed its first electric delivery van, which could start delivering packages in 2021.
  • The e-commerce giant first announced plans to commission a fleet of 100,000 EVs back in February.
  • The vans have Alexa integration and cameras that give a 360 degree view of surroundings.

Amazon just showed off the first of its planned custom electric delivery vehicles, which could be delivering packages in the next year. It plans to have 10,000 on the road by 2022, and 100,000 by 2030.

The company first announced in February that it ordered the custom delivery vehicles from electric vehicle maker Rivian. The electric vehicles will help Amazon reach its goal of being carbon neutral by 2040 for The Climate Pledge and help Amazon continue to grow its logistics workings.

Amazon reportedly delivers 2.5 billion packages per year, and it's becoming one of the largest package deliverers in the US. In 2019, it went from delivering about 20% of its own packages to delivering half.

In the February announcement, the company showed off the design for the electric vehicles, which Amazon says were designed with input from current delivery drivers. Photos at the time showed styrofoam models and digital renderings.

Now, the first Amazon electric vehicle is actually here.

The van has a large windshield for increased driver visibility, and a strengthened driver side door for added protection.

The van has a large windshield for increased driver visibility, and a strengthened driver side door for added protection.
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.      Amazon

It has "state-of-the-art" sensors for traffic assistance technology.

It has "state-of-the-art" sensors for traffic assistance technology.
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.      Amazon

"We prioritized safety and functionality to create a vehicle that's optimized for package delivery. We thought through how drivers get in and out of the van, what the work space feels like and what the work flow is for delivering packages" Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said.

"We prioritized safety and functionality to create a vehicle that
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.      Amazon

The vehicle has Alexa voice assistant integration for giving drivers hands-free information about traffic and route updates.

The vehicle has Alexa voice assistant integration for giving drivers hands-free information about traffic and route updates.
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.      Amazon

Exterior cameras extend around the vehicle, giving the driver a 360-degree view of the area around them.

Exterior cameras extend around the vehicle, giving the driver a 360-degree view of the area around them.
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.      Amazon

Drivers get extra protection with three levels of shelving and a secure bulkhead door, which should prevent packages from moving and falling.

Drivers get extra protection with three levels of shelving and a secure bulkhead door, which should prevent packages from moving and falling.
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.      Amazon

In the back of the van, bright tail lights on both the sides and roof clearly show other drivers when the vehicle is braking, enhancing safety.

In the back of the van, bright tail lights on both the sides and roof clearly show other drivers when the vehicle is braking, enhancing safety.
Amazon electric delivery vehicle.      Amazon

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