Amazon tests Rivian electric delivery vans at Vancouver fulfillment centre

Inside Logistics recently had the opportunity to visit one of Amazon’s fulfillment facilities in Vancouver, where we were given a ride-along in the new Rivian commercial electric delivery vans being tested at the location.

After a tour of the facility and accompanying an Amazon driver during a delivery route, Erica Tsypin, strategic partnerships and B2B sales at Rivian, said Amazon has committed to purchasing 100,000 Rivian delivery vehicles by 2030. Currently, there are more than 30,000 on the road globally, including 50 in Canada — all of which are based at the Vancouver location.

“It’s been a strong, strong relationship. We’ve learned quite a lot over the last years, which has made our vehicles and our programs better over time,” said Tsypin.

The Vancouver pilot project, which launched in June 2022, is expected to lead to further expansion across the country and is intended to help the two companies better understand operations in Canada. Amazon selects markets for pilot deployments based on route structure, charging capabilities and other operational factors. In these locations, Rivian helps ensure service infrastructure and support.

“Our job as their partner is to be ready to support them,” Tsypin said of Rivian’s role. “We’ve got service centres in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal as well.”

An important part of the pilot program and the overall learning process involves data collection. Rivian vehicles have a full software stack that allows for the collection of thousands of data signals, which are then shared with Amazon to help improve operations, including vehicle telemetry and charging patterns.

Still early in the project, Tsypin said the emphasis in the Vancouver region is on service infrastructure and technical readiness, enabling service personnel to learn how to best support Rivian vehicles on Canadian roads.

“It’s really critical for us to have the right infrastructure and processes to support Amazon from a service perspective,” said Tsypin. “Our technicians are learning the best way to support Amazon vehicles on the road.”

What’s the verdict?

So far, driver feedback has been positive. Many have reported increased productivity thanks to features on the Rivian vans, including a rear roll-up door, curbside door access and a powered automatic bulkhead door that does not need to be manually opened and closed at each stop.

There is also a larger cargo area in the Rivian vans compared with the traditional gas-powered vans previously used. In Vancouver, Amazon uses the Rivian Commercial Van – Delivery 700, which has a total cargo volume of 652 cubic feet and a payload capacity of 2,258 pounds.

With a range of 257 kilometres, the vans offer several safety and driver-assist features, including radars, cameras and ultrasonic sensors, blind-spot warning, speed-limit information, park assist and collision mitigation.

The navigation system also helps optimize the driver’s most efficient route based on delivery patterns.

“Drivers joke with me that they love their job more and are able to get their routes done faster because the van is just helping with productivity. It lets you focus on your actual job,” said Tsypin.

Driver feedback is important to both Rivian and Amazon, as the design of the delivery van is based on recommendations from drivers along with operational data.

“Based on feedback, we were able to develop both the hardware and the software to support a safe, productive and sustainable vehicle for them,” said Tsypin.

To address more extreme weather conditions in other Canadian regions, such as Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and the East Coast, Rivian has considered a four-wheel-drive option. Tsypin said some of the company’s U.S. deployments — including Chicago, Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado and New York — have shown the Rivian van can handle winter conditions.

“We’ve got vehicles in Minneapolis in the middle of 30 below downtown in the heart of winter,” she said. “Very similar to harsh Canadian climates.”

In addition to Canada and the United States, Rivian has several hundred of its vans operating in Germany.