Amazon has ordered over 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian, but the vehicles are still rolling out slowly and won't replace gas trucks across the network anytime soon
Amazon announced in 2019 that it would purchase 100,000 electric delivery vans from the startup manufacturer Rivian. The first vehicles began appearing in select U.S. cities in 2022, but the rollout has moved slower than originally planned. As of late 2024, only a few thousand are in operation, concentrated in major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, Phoenix, and parts of the Northeast. The rest of Amazon's delivery fleet — numbering in the hundreds of thousands — still runs on diesel and gasoline engines.
The Rivian vans, called the RVan, are purpose-built for last-mile delivery: they have a range of roughly 150 miles per charge, multiple side doors for package access, and a design that reduces driver fatigue on repetitive routes. But they cost significantly more than conventional delivery trucks, and Amazon's charging infrastructure at its facilities is still being built out. This means the electric vans are deployed only on routes where the economics and logistics work — typically shorter urban routes with predictable daily mileage.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon has ordered 100,000 electric vans from Rivian but has deployed only a small fraction so far, with most concentrated in major cities.
- The Rivian RVan has a range of about 150 miles and is designed specifically for short urban delivery routes, not long-haul trucking.
- Amazon's broader delivery network still relies almost entirely on gas and diesel vehicles, and the transition will take many years.
- The environmental benefit of electric delivery vans depends on how the electricity is generated in your region — coal-heavy grids produce less benefit than renewable-heavy ones.
How the Rivian Van Works and Where It Operates
The RVan is a step van — a boxy, upright truck designed for frequent stops. It has a 150-mile range on a full charge, which is enough for a typical urban delivery route but not for longer suburban or rural runs. The vehicle has a low step height to reduce driver strain, multiple side doors for quick package access, and a quieter electric motor that produces less noise pollution in residential neighborhoods than a diesel engine.
Amazon has deployed these vans in cities including Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, and parts of the New York metropolitan area. The company prioritizes routes where the distance traveled per day fits within the vehicle's range and where it has charging infrastructure in place. Drivers charge the vans overnight at Amazon fulfillment centers or delivery stations that have been retrofitted with charging equipment.
The vans are operated by Amazon Logistics, which is Amazon's internal delivery arm, as well as by Delivery Service Partners — independent contractors who run their own delivery businesses under the Amazon banner. Not all DSPs have access to the electric vans yet; availability depends on the local deployment phase and the size of the operation.
Why the Rollout Has Been Slower Than Expected
Amazon originally said it would have 10,000 of the 100,000 vans on the road by 2022. That target was missed. The delay stems from several factors: Rivian faced manufacturing challenges and supply chain disruptions, Amazon's charging network required more time and investment to build out than anticipated, and the company discovered that the vans work best on specific route types rather than as a universal replacement for all delivery trucks.
The cost difference is also significant. A Rivian RVan costs roughly $55,000 to $70,000 per unit (before incentives), compared to $30,000 to $40,000 for a used diesel step van. That price gap means Amazon must carefully calculate which routes justify the higher upfront cost. On a short urban route with high package volume, the electric van's lower fuel and maintenance costs can offset the purchase price over five to seven years. On a longer or less dense route, the economics don't work.
Rivian itself has faced financial pressure and production bottlenecks, which has slowed manufacturing. The company has also had to manage competing orders from other fleet operators, including UPS and FedEx, who have placed their own electric vehicle orders.
Environmental Impact of Amazon's Electric Delivery Fleet
An electric delivery van produces zero tailpipe emissions, which reduces local air pollution in neighborhoods where packages are delivered. Over its lifetime, an RVan powered by electricity generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a diesel van — but the actual reduction depends on how the electricity is generated in your region.
In areas with grids powered largely by renewable energy (California, the Pacific Northwest, parts of the Northeast), an electric van's environmental benefit is substantial. In regions where coal or natural gas dominates the grid, the benefit is smaller but still positive, since electric motors are more efficient than combustion engines. Studies by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Rocky Mountain Institute have found that even in coal-heavy regions, electric delivery vehicles produce 50 percent fewer lifetime emissions than diesel equivalents.
The broader environmental picture is more complex. Manufacturing the battery for an RVan requires energy and mining for lithium, cobalt, and other materials. This "embodied carbon" is paid back within the first two to three years of operation through lower emissions during use. After that point, the van is operating with a net environmental benefit compared to a gas truck.
What Amazon's Plan Means for the Rest of Its Delivery Network
The 100,000 Rivian vans represent roughly 10 to 15 percent of Amazon's total delivery fleet. The rest — hundreds of thousands of vehicles operated by Amazon Logistics, Delivery Service Partners, and contracted carriers — still run on fossil fuels. Amazon has not announced a timeline for electrifying the entire fleet, and doing so would require massive investment in charging infrastructure, battery technology improvements, and changes to how routes are planned and executed.
For long-haul trucking (moving packages between fulfillment centers), Amazon has invested in electric semi-trucks from Freightliner and other manufacturers, but these are still in early testing phases. The last-mile delivery problem — getting packages from a local hub to a customer's door — is where the Rivian vans fit, and it is where Amazon is concentrating its near-term electric vehicle efforts.
Amazon has also committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 under its Climate Pledge, but the company has not detailed how much of that reduction will come from vehicle electrification versus other measures like renewable energy purchases, packaging redesign, and carbon offsets.
How to Know If Your Deliveries Use Electric Vans
Amazon does not currently provide a way for customers to track whether a specific package was delivered by an electric van. You can infer it is more likely if you live in one of the cities where the RVan is deployed (Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, and parts of the Northeast), and if your delivery is a typical same-day or next-day urban delivery rather than a longer-distance shipment.
If you want to know for certain, you can contact Amazon Customer Service and ask whether electric delivery vehicles operate in your area. The company has been transparent about which cities have the vans, though it does not break down delivery-by-delivery data for individual customers.
Comparing Amazon's Approach to Other Delivery Companies
UPS has ordered 10,000 electric delivery vans from Workhorse and has been deploying them in select markets since 2021. FedEx has committed to electrifying 50 percent of its delivery fleet by 2040 and has ordered electric vans from multiple manufacturers. The U.S. Postal Service is in the process of replacing its aging fleet with new vehicles, some of which will be electric, though the transition is moving slowly due to budget constraints.
Amazon's order of 100,000 vehicles is the largest single commitment to electric delivery vans in the industry, but the slow rollout means that UPS and FedEx may actually have a higher percentage of their fleets electrified in the near term. Amazon's advantage is that it controls its own logistics network, so it can coordinate charging infrastructure and route planning more directly than companies that rely on independent contractors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Amazon's electric vans available in my city?
The Rivian vans are currently deployed in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, and parts of the New York metropolitan area. Amazon has not announced a timeline for expansion to other cities. You can contact Amazon Customer Service to ask whether electric delivery vehicles operate in your specific area.
Do electric delivery vans cost more for customers?
No. Amazon does not charge different prices based on the vehicle type used for delivery. The cost of the electric vans is absorbed by Amazon as part of its broader logistics investment and Climate Pledge commitment.
Why doesn't Amazon just electrify all its delivery vehicles now?
The Rivian vans cost significantly more than conventional trucks, and their 150-mile range limits them to shorter urban routes. Electrifying longer routes or rural deliveries would require different vehicle designs and much larger charging infrastructure. The economics only work on specific route types, so Amazon is deploying the vans where they make sense operationally and financially.
How long does it take to charge an Amazon delivery van?
Rivian vans are charged overnight at Amazon facilities using Level 2 chargers, which typically take 8 to 10 hours for a full charge. This works for delivery operations because the vans are used during the day and charged when not in use. Fast charging is available but is not used in Amazon's current deployment model.
Will Amazon's electric vans reduce my carbon footprint if I order from them?
If your delivery is handled by an electric van, your package's transportation emissions will be lower than if it were delivered by a diesel truck. However, the overall carbon impact of your order depends on many factors, including where the product was manufactured, how it was shipped to the fulfillment center, and the distance it traveled. The electric van is one part of a much larger supply chain.