Rivian expands mobile service with fleet of heavy-duty vans

Rivian Automotive is now deploying the large commercial vans it makes for Amazon as rolling service centers for the electric automaker’s growing fleet of consumer and commercial vehicles.

The EDV vans give Rivian a larger vehicle compared with the R1T pickups it’s been using for light service jobs in the field. The vans have a cargo capacity of 500 cubic feet.

In fact, Rivian expects its mobile service fleet to have more than 200 of the service vans by the end of the year compared with about 100 R1T service trucks.

“These vehicles provide maintenance, repair, vehicle-to-vehicle charging and a variety of other mobile service needs for more than 35,000 Rivian vehicles,” the automaker said in a May press release announcing the deployment.

According to the California-based EV maker, it produced 9,395 vehicles and delivered 7,946 in the first quarter, including the R1T pickup, R1S crossover and Amazon delivery vans. Rivian, which is forecasting significantly higher production for the rest of the year, does not break down sales by model.

Rivian builds the vans in Normal, Ill. It calls the Amazon version EDV for electric delivery van and the service versions RSV for Rivian service van. Amazon has a long-term contract for 100,000 EDVs.

While the R1T service trucks are loaded with tools and light equipment, the vans can handle heavier and bulkier hardware.

“Each van is fit with a wheel balancer, automatic tire changer, air compressor, hydraulic jack and stands, and modular shelving with the parts and tools to complete 80 percent of all labor codes,” Rivian said. “Each van also has a dedicated 240v outlet to provide vehicle-to-vehicle charging.”