You may soon start seeing Rivian’s electric van driven by someone other than Amazon on the streets. The popular e-cargo delivery vehicles that bring packages to homes are no longer exclusive to Amazon. It’s still not available to regular home buyers, but it’s getting there.
Amazon helped Rivian get off the ground with its exciting R1T electric truck, the R1S, along with the delivery van. However, Amazon had exclusive rights to all 100,000 manufactured vans, which is why you’ve likely seen them on the streets covered in the Amazon Prime logo since 2019. Additionally, we’ve seen Rivian run trials with its van in partnership with AT&T.
While Amazon never its fulfilled the commitment to buy all 100,000 vans, it still plans to do so. In the meantime, the automaker announced it’s opening up purchasing rights to anyone who wants one, so long as it’s for a commercial fleet. Unfortunately, this means it can’t be for personal use, and you won’t see people living the VanLife with a Rivian Van anytime soon. That said, it’s one step closer to eventually being released to the public.
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If you’re interested in buying a Rivian Van, it must be registered with a business upon purchase. It doesn’t sound like there’s a minimum order, either, so as long as it’s for business use, buyers can pick up a single unit or buy 100 and outfit an entire fleet. Currently, the van is available online in two variants: the RCV 500, which costs just under $80,000, and the RCV 700, which costs $83,900. The 700-series is slightly longer, wider, and more spacious for those wondering.
It’s no secret that the automotive space is highly competitive, and that’s especially true for electric vehicles. Selling this model to more customers could help Rivian improve its financial situation as the company continues to expand and open up its charging network, launch the new Rivian R3 next year, and more.
