Rivian starts selling electric vans to anyone interested.
Applications from those living in vans are not accepted.
Rivian has announced that its electric vans are now available for purchase by any company with a commercial fleet. For several years, this model was exclusively reserved for Amazon. However, now the platform that the e-commerce giant used for its delivery van is open to any business that has the necessary resources.
In 2019, Amazon signed a significant agreement to acquire 100,000 Rivian vans, in addition to making a $1 billion investment in the startup. This agreement stipulated that Rivian would sell its units exclusively to Amazon, but this collaboration came to an end prematurely in November 2023. By that date, Amazon had only received approximately 20,000 vans, which represents about 20% of the original commitment. Despite this, Amazon remains Rivian's largest shareholder, with a 17% stake in the company.
Rivian has indicated that it will offer its vans to individual buyers who need one or thousands, but these must be registered as part of a business and cannot be used for personal purposes. The vans are available in two sizes and at different prices: the RCV 500 model has a starting price of $79,900, while the RCV 700 starts at $83,900.
Since ending its exclusive agreement with Amazon, Rivian has been conducting tests with its van in several large fleets, including AT&T's, while also working on developing a service and software business for its future clients. Tom Solomon, senior director of business development at Rivian, commented that they are pleased with the results from the tests conducted and are excited to open sales to fleets of all sizes in the United States.
The electric van market has experienced volatility in recent years. General Motors decided to divest and then reintegrate its electric commercial vehicle business, BrightDrop, considering the market too fragile to operate independently. Meanwhile, Ford has had success with its E-Transit vans, selling 12,610 units in 2024, representing a 64% increase compared to 2023. Mercedes-Benz, for its part, introduced its eSprinter van in 2023, anticipating that deliveries will begin later in the year.
The ability to sell electric vans to a greater number of customers could benefit Rivian's financial situation, which has faced ups and downs in recent years. The vans offer higher profit margins than the company's R1T and R1S vehicles. Additionally, Rivian has the opportunity to market subscriptions for the various integrated software features in the vans, which would increase their long-term value.
