Amazon orders more than 1,800 electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz Vans

Mercedes-Benz Vans and Amazon announced the largest order for Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles to date.

More than 1,800 battery-electric eVito and eSprinter from Mercedes-Benz Vans will be delivered to Amazon starting this year to be used across Europe. The order includes around 600 medium-sized eVito and more than 1,200 vehicles of the large-size van eSprinter.

“I am delighted that we are further intensifying our long-standing partnership with Amazon and working together on the battery-electric future of transportation,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “With the eVito and the eSprinter, we have electric vehicles in our portfolio, which 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. They show that local emission-free driving, convincing performance, comfort and low operating costs can be combined perfectly.”

Electrification of traffic on the so-called “last mile” is progressing. In particular, the courier-, express- and parcel-services industry (CEP) is a great driver here. The growing online trade and flexible delivery services in recent years not only brought an increase in inner-city traffic, but also lead to increasing local emission-free drives in urbanized areas. In addition, the preconditions are good for the use of electric vans in the CEP industry: routes can be planned well in advance, are manageable in length and distance and normally there are larger areas near distribution centres of the logistics service providers, which are suitable for the commissioning of corresponding charging infrastructure.

Mercedes-Benz Vans and Amazon Logistics Germany recognised the potential of a collaboration in the field of electric mobility early on, and put into operation in 2018. Together with the Mercedes-Benz contract partner Fahrzeug-Werke LUEG AG and other partners equipped the Amazon distribution centre in the North Rhine-Westphalia city of Bochum with charging infrastructure. In July 2020 Europe’s largest connected charging infrastructure of about 340 charging points at the Amazon Delivery Station in Essen was established by LUEG basecamp GmbH. The companies have been cooperating in many ways also on an international basis.

With the eVito in 2018 and the eSprinter in 2019, Mercedes-Benz Vans has taken on an important role in the segment for locally emission-free cargo transport in urban areas. The positioning of the battery in the subside of the vehicles creates a generous interior without any restrictions regarding the loading volume, which is particularly important for delivery services.

With the new Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer available now with high-torque electric motor and 421 kilometres range as well as the fully electric EQV, electric passenger transport has also grown to meet electric mobility requirements: as a hotel shuttle, as a large taxi or vehicle for ride sharing services. The Citan will also be available in its next generation with battery-electric drive and thus round off the electric product portfolio of Mercedes-Benz Vans.