Rivan and Amazon’s adorable electric delivery van—the EDV—is hitting the streets, with the first 1000 of the planned 100,000 slated for production already in the hands of the e-commerce giant’s drivers. We had a chance to get up close and personal with the EDV at Rivian’s Venice, California, showroom and came away impressed with its design and novel features. Here are 10 things we think make the EDV cool and, we hope, will make for a better experience for Amazon’s road warriors.
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The EDV’s cute look is no accident. Rivian’s designers wanted it to have a friendly look since it will be a frequent sight in American neighborhoods. Instead of wearing a Rivian logo, Amazon’s is emblazoned on its mirror-finished black fascia.
The EDV is offered in two lengths, one intended to haul 500 cubic feet of packages and one that can hold up to 700 cubic feet of cargo. The one shown here is the larger EDV700, but the EDV500 is essentially the same van with one less modular body panel. The entire van is designed to be easy to repair in case of damage. For example, if the van is hit from the rear, the rubberized plastic bumper can be easily swapped for an undamaged one back at the depot.
3
High-Visibility Taillights
Speaking of rear-end damage, the EDV’s bright and unmistakable red taillamp stretches up and over the entirety of the van. Not only does it make the van more visible, but it also looks slick and futuristic.
The bright blue color Amazon uses throughout its website is incorporated into the EDV’s design too. It’s everywhere from the Prime logo on the side of the van to the trim in the cabin and a big swatch of it covering the rear door area. Just inside the rear and the front right doors of the van are thick grab handles painted the same color. Stripes on the seats and details on the key fob carry the theme, too.
Just like Rivian’s R1T and R1S models, the EDV sports a large infotainment touchscreen and a digital gauge display. Amazon’s route software is loaded in place of Rivian’s normal navigation software but the rest is pretty much the same as what you’d find on the brand’s luxury EV trucks. The view forward can only be described as panoramic, and from this vantage point, the driver can see directly what’s in front of the EDV. A 360-degree camera system also helps improve visibility when maneuvering in city streets.
The EDV has plenty of features that are intended to make the delivery driver’s job easier, including a bulkhead door that automatically closes if the driver locks the van’s doors. The seat is also very comfortable and can be adjusted to a wider variety of seating positions than the Ram ProMaster van that’s commonly used by Amazon drivers right now. The driver’s seat is heated and ventilated and the steering wheel is heated too, all in the name of driver comfort. Rivian has also designed the cargo area to perfectly hold the specialized bins that Amazon uses to hold its packages.
Locking the doors is easy when you have the key fob clipped to your pocket. The EDV’s key has an integrated clip and features buttons on the top, making them easy to activate the remote locking feature without having to pull keys out of your pocket.
Trainees or delivery helpers get to ride on this fold-down passenger seat. It’s surprisingly comfortable and its position makes it easy to hop out to run a package up to a customer’s porch. It even features a Prime blue seatbelt just like the driver’s side. There’s plenty of legroom for the passenger too, and a cupholder is designed into the molding at the base of the seat. When it’s not in use—which it won’t be most of the time—the seat bottom flips up and stows neatly out of the way.
All EDV models come with an integrated first aid kit below the passenger’s jump seat. Its location near the door makes it easy to reach in and grab supplies if the driver needs a bandage or gauze.
10
Driver Monitoring—But Not How You Think
Being watched by Big Brother while you’re just trying to do your job sounds like a nightmare, but Rivian assures us this A-pillar mounted camera system is only monitoring for driver drowsiness or distraction as a safety feature. If it notices that the driver is either of those things, it will alert a suggestion to pay attention or to pull over for a break. Other driver-assistance features on the EDV include lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high-beam headlamps, and adaptive cruise control.
We’ve already spotted a couple of EDV700s on the road, like this one that senior news editor Joey Capparella found delivering packages in his New York neighborhood. Rivian says the vans can travel up to 150 miles before needing to be recharged, and the Amazon depots are being equipped with Level 2 charging stations so each of them can be juiced up overnight for emissions-free deliveries the next day. The EDV has been designed to last for 10 years or 330,000 miles before needing to be replaced, so once they’re on your route you can expect to see them for a long time.
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