Amazon made a splash in the EV world last September when it ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans from EV startup Rivian. Now the company says it will buy an additional 1,800 electric vans from Mercedes-Benz.

The order includes 1,200 large eSprinter electric vans and 600 medium-size eVito electric vans. It represents Mercedes-Benz Vans’ largest order of EVs to date.

Amazon’s Delivery Service Partners will have access to the new fleet in Europe this year.

Mercedes-Benz’s eSprinter, the electric version of its popular Sprinter van, has a battery capacity of 55 kWh, and delivers an estimated range of 150 kilometers with a maximum payload of 900 kilograms. Safety features include active brake assist, reverse camera and blind spot assist.

The mid-size eVito sports a 41.4 kWh battery pack, an 84 kW electric motor, and a range of around 150 km.

“With the eVito and the eSprinter, we have electric vehicles in our portfolio [that 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,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “They show that local emission-free driving, convincing performance, comfort and low operating costs can be combined perfectly.”

Mercedes-Benz chose this occasion to announce that it has joined The Climate Pledge, which calls on signatories to be net zero-carbon across their businesses by 2040. The company is evaluating ways to remove carbon from its entire value chain, from development to the supplier network, and to power its EVs with renewable energy.

“We welcome the bold leadership demonstrated by Mercedes-Benz by signing up to The Climate Pledge and committing to ambitious action to address climate change. We need continued innovation and partnership from auto manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz to decarbonize the transportation sector and tackle the climate crisis,” said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

Source: Amazon via Electrek