In November, Rivian Automotive announced that it would begin marketing its electric commercial vans to customers beyond Amazon, which collaborated with the automaker to develop an electric delivery van. Now Rivian has revealed that its next customer will be AT&T, which will begin a pilot of the Rivian Commercial Van and R1 vehicles in early 2024.

Adding EVs and hybrids to its fleet is just one part of AT&T’s strategy to reduce its emissions—the company is also using AI to optimize routes, and reducing the overall size of the fleet. The company says its vehicles drive 20% fewer miles each year, reducing emissions by a significant amount.

AT&T is the exclusive provider of connectivity to all Rivian vehicles in the US and Canada. Rivian uses AT&T connectivity to deliver over-the-air software updates to improve its vehicles with new features.

The Rivian Commercial Van was designed from the ground up to prioritize safety, sustainability and ownership cost. Safety features include automatic emergency braking, collision warnings and 360-degree visibility. Rivian’s in-house software stack underpins the fleet management system, which is designed to improve efficiency and reduce total cost of ownership.

“We’re excited to purchase Rivian EVs for our fleet,” said Hardmon Williams, SVP, AT&T Connected Solutions. “With advanced connectivity and a vision for a sustainable future, Rivian is setting the standard for the evolving demands of modern transportation.”

“Around a quarter of CO₂ emitted in the transportation sector in the US comes from commercial vans, so it’s imperative we do all we can to help cut emissions,” said Dagan Mishoulam, VP, Strategy & Fleet at Rivian. “Our category-defining vehicles offer some of the most advanced technology in the sector and are continually improved through over-the-air updates.”

Source: AT&T