Rivian recently published more details about its RCV (aka. Rivian Electric Van or EDV). What is it all about? Let’s dig in. Rivian first announced its commercial van in September 2019. This was when Amazon placed an order for 100,000 Rivian vans before 2024. The company began production of the Rivian Commercial Vehicle (RCV) last year and delivered 10 vans, according to a recent announcement.
Rivian’s latest fleet website had a lot more details about the new Electric Delivery Van (EDV). While the company initially estimated the driving range of its smallest van version, the RCV500, at 150 miles. Its most recent FleetOS screenshot shows a maximum driving range of up to 200 miles (see below). FleetOS allows a fleet manager to track the status and location of each vehicle. This includes the current speed, charging status, battery status, and more.
The company also says the RCV platform will support an optional all-wheel-drive (AWD), a curb-to-curb turning distance of 54.8 feet, up to 150 kW charging speed, and a payload capacity ranging between 5,300 lbs to 1,960 lbs. Long wheelbase versions will offer up to 900 cu-ft of cargo volume. Rivian does not state a starting price for the RCV or a pricing range.
For comparison, the 2022 Ford E-Transit has a maximum estimated driving range of 126 miles and a maximum payload capability of 4,260 lbs. The E-Transit starts at a relatively low $43,295 (although this is still many thousand dollars more than an equivalent gasoline-powered Transit).
GM’s BrightDrop EV600 commercial van has also begun its first deliveries. An initial shipment of five vans was delivered to FedEx last month. BrightDrop states that their EV600 van is capable of a maximum range of 250 miles, 2,200 lbs of maximum payload, and 120 kW maximum DC charging speed.
So far, the spec sheet and all the known information do not show a clear winner. We need to test these vans in real-world conditions to see which one comes out on top.
