Amazon Orders 100,000 Electric Vans in New Climate Pledge

Bezos made the announcement during yesterday’s event in Washington D.C. During the announcement, it was revealed that the e-commerce giant had placed an order for 100,000 electric vans from American electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian. Amazon had previously led a $700 million investment in Rivian back in February — indicating this had been part of the plan for quite some time.

Coming to a City Near You

According to Nathan Bomey, a reporter for USA Today, Bezos noted the trucks should begin hitting the streets by 2021 — though you might catch a glimpse of prototypes operating as early as 2020. Shortly after the event, Dave Clark, Amazon’s SVP for Operations, tweeted out a render of the new electric vehicle. The van features a sleek, modern design that is reminiscent of Rivian’s other vehicles — with soft curves and an overall cutesy appearance. At this stage, it is unclear whether the design is final or just a mockup. The announcement comes just a day before a planned walkout, which could see over 1,500 Amazon employees join tens of thousands of others worldwide as part of the Global Climate Strike. Although the move was praised by Amazon workers, a recent statement made by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice indicates the walkout will continue as planned. Amazon has been previously criticized for its apparent disregard for the environment, with Amazon Prime and the relentless push for ever-faster shipping causing outrage among climate change activists.

Amazon Joins the Battery Pack

Amazon isn’t the only retail giant that is looking to transition its delivery fleet to electric. Earlier this year, Walmart announced that it had pre-ordered at least 45 of Tesla’s upcoming electric semi-truck — slated to begin delivery in late 2020. Similarly, Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has already begun large-scale testing of an electric fleet and currently makes all deliveries in Shanghai, China using electric vehicles. With the Climate Action Summit 2019 due to take place on September 23, expect several other companies to make green announcements in the coming days. Which company do you think could benefit most from making the switch to electric? Is Amazon doing enough to offset its massive carbon footprint? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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