The buzzy EV business began producing the R1T last year and has only produced about 2,500 units since then. Rivian also manufactures electric delivery vans for Amazon and other businesses, but it won’t specify how many it has produced thus far.
BrightDrop, an electric delivery firm founded by General Motors last year, built the van I’m riding in.
BrightDrop is seeking to set a world record for “the farthest distance covered by an electric delivery vehicle on a single charge.” I’m riding shotgun, albeit a little shakily.
I’m learning that delivery van jump seats aren’t designed for extended road trips. Although my butt is sound sleeping, the Rivian sighting served as a gentle wake-up call.
Although I don’t believe the R1T driver saw us as we passed, I guess they gave us a thumbs-up. A game recognizes another game.
There is currently no record for the longest electric delivery vehicle ride on a single charge due to the lack of electric delivery vans.
Although there are some hybrid cars and electric forklifts, the great bulk of the vans that transport your Amazon, FedEx, and UPS products are powered by toxic dinosaur muck.
Although several firms have intentions to produce electric vehicles, the number of actual electric vans on the road today is negligible.
The day begins bright and early at 5:30 a.m. in a FedEx vehicle depot in midtown Manhattan, where a swarm of FedEx employees are gathered around the van, called the Zevo 600, making final preparations for the journey.
The van sticks out among the other FedEx vehicles parked at the site thanks to its round corners, huge windshield, black trim, and slightly shorter stance than its gas-powered counterparts. The Zevo 600, unlike the other vans, does not have a hood to pop open for engine checks. (The front and rear axles are powered by two electric motors, which are powered by the battery in the van’s floor.)
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