Rivian's commercial van has been coasting on a single trick for years: it's the EV that Amazon bought by the tens of thousands, which, according to Cox Automotive, was enough to make it America's best-selling electric van. Now the company has handed it some actual range and power, and the reasoning is refreshingly blunt.
The Rivian Commercial Van (RCV), which also goes by Electric Delivery Van (EDV), can now be ordered with a larger battery pack that extends range by roughly 30% over the standard version. Per EPA filings, the Large pack carries a usable capacity of 129 kWh, well above the Standard pack's 90 kWh, and it's restricted to the long-wheelbase variants.
Per the EPA certification filing, the front-wheel-drive EDV 700 is good for about 220 miles, a 37% jump over the standard-range model. Rivian hasn't published final range numbers for the new configurations.
Both the old and new packs use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells.
The more eye-catching addition is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup. It pairs two Enduro motors for a combined 710 horsepower (530 kilowatts), and like the big battery, it's exclusive to the 700 body version. Add the Large pack and AWD together, and range dips to about 200 miles, per the EPA certification filing.
Rivian framed the updates around coverage, not bragging rights. "In addition to the EDV standard pack variant already on the road, in early October we began delivering new variants that are specifically designed to expand route coverage into more rural networks, including an AWD configuration as well as a larger battery pack that offers a 30% increase in range," the company said in its third-quarter earnings report.
The extra hardware carries a weight penalty. Per Rivian's spec sheet, the 129 kWh pack adds roughly 1,000 pounds, and the rear motor another 450. According to Rivian, a fully loaded long-wheelbase van now carries a curb weight of 8,677 pounds against a 10,000-pound GVWR.
Charging stays the same: a CCS1 port good for up to 100 kW DC and 11 kW AC, with NACS adapters offered as an opt-out option, Rivian said.
The hardware still sells. Cox Automotive data shows Rivian delivered 15,685 EDVs and RCVs over the first nine months of the year, keeping it well ahead of every rival in the electric commercial van race.
[Images: Rivian]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.