Following it’s 2019 ‘Climate Pledge Initiative’ online retailer, Amazon, has placed an order with Mercedes Benz for over 1,800 electric vans. This is on top of the 100,000 electric vans Amazon has on order with American truck builders Rivian in a deal said to be worth over $4 billion. The latest order with Mercedes Benz includes 1,200 larger sized eSprinter electric vans and 600 medium size eVito electric vans.
The eSprinter features a battery capacity of 55 kWh with an estimated range of 93 miles (150km) with a maximum payload of 900 kilogrammes. There will be a second battery option here with a capacity of 41 kWh allowing the payload to increase by around 140 kilogrammes to a total of 1040 kilogrammes with a range of about 93 miles (115km). Similarly, the mid-sized eVito will feature a 41.4 kWh battery pack with a range up to 93 miles (150km).
With online ordering and delivery ever-increasing, especially since the lockdown because of the world wide Covid-19 pandemic, it’s the perfect time to be reducing carbon dioxide rather than adding to the problem. This links in perfectly with Amazon’s ‘Climate Pledge Initiative’ that aims to achieve carbon neutrality across the company. Mercedes will supply Amazon with the electric vehicles in Europe by the end of the year.
Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, Marcus Breitschwerdt, said: “I am delighted that we are further intensifying our long-standing partnership with Amazon and working together on the battery-electric future of transportation. With the eVito and the eSprinter, we have electric vehicles in our portfolio, which are ideally suited for the requirements of the courier, express and parcel service industry for goods delivery on the so-called ‘last mile’ in terms of their equipment and range. They show that local emission-free driving, convincing performance, comfort and low operating costs can be combined perfectly.”
