Amazon Expands EV Deliveries to 9 New Cities

Amazon said Thursday (July 21) it has begun making deliveries with electric vehicles (EVs) in at least nine U.S. cities.

It’s part of what the company says is a plan to put thousands of such vehicles on the streets of more than 100 cities by the end of the year and 100,000 across the country by 2030.

According to a company news release, the vehicles, from EV maker Rivian, are making deliveries in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle and St. Louis, among others.

“Today marks a significant milestone in our Climate Pledge commitment,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in the announcement. “And, in addition to being sustainable, these new vehicles are also great for drivers — they were designed with driver input and feedback along the way, and they’re among the safest and most comfortable delivery vehicles on the road today.”

Amazon rolled out the first EVs in its fleet in February, part of a pledge to become net carbon zero by 2040. The all-electric vans, which can travel up to 150 miles on a single charge, are the product of a partnership between Amazon and Rivian.

Read more: Amazon Rolls Out First EV Delivery Vans With Rivian As Part Of Climate Pledge

Amazon three years ago co-founded The Climate Pledge, which asks for signatories to make their companies net zero carbon by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement deadline. Transforming its delivery fleet is a crucial component to reaching that goal, with the company delivering more than 20 million packages in 2020 with electric vehicles.

The company said it has been testing deliveries with Rivian preproduction vehicles since last year, delivering more 430,000 packages and driving over 90,000 miles.

“This significant testing has allowed Rivian to continuously improve the vehicle’s performance, safety and durability in various climates and geographies as well as its state-of-the-art features to ensure driver satisfaction, and overall functionality,” the company said.