Amazon Trials Genetically Modified Electric Delivery Vehicles for Climate Objectives Achievement
In a bid to reduce carbon emissions and transition towards a more sustainable future, tech giant Amazon and automaker General Motors are collaborating on electric delivery vehicles.
Amazon has recently purchased a small batch of twelve 2024 model year BrightDrop electric delivery vans from General Motors, marking the beginning of their partnership. The pilot program involves testing these electric vans, alongside other companies such as Ford Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Stellantis NV, and Rivian Automotive Inc.
While Rivian, another electric vehicle manufacturer, is currently providing over 24,000 of the electric vehicles used by Amazon, the tech giant is also exploring options with General Motors. Amazon has confirmed plans to have 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road by 2030, with the BrightDrop vans potentially playing a significant role in this ambitious target.
Amazon purchases electric vans in bulk and leases them to its network of contract delivery firms through fleet management companies. This approach allows the company to scale up its electric vehicle usage efficiently.
Meanwhile, General Motors launched BrightDrop in 2021 as a new business unit targeting fleet customers and providing them with software to track shipments and deliveries. However, the sales of BrightDrop vans have been relatively low, with only 1,600 units sold in the first half of the year. This is in comparison to the number of electric Cadillac Escalade IQs sold by GM during the same period.
Despite the slow sales, General Motors aims to build on the relationship with Amazon and potentially push beyond a pilot program. The company discontinued the BrightDrop division and integrated it into GM Envolve, its fleet business division, by August 2024.
Amazon's commitment to reducing carbon emissions is evident in its plans to substitute electric vehicles for gasoline-powered ones in its delivery operation. This move aligns with the company's broader sustainability goals, which include achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
In addition to the challenges faced by Rivian, including job cuts, vehicle delivery target reductions, and contending with President Donald Trump's tariffs and the looming expiration of the US EV tax credit, the electric vehicle market is facing a turbulent period. However, partnerships like the one between Amazon and General Motors demonstrate a collective effort towards a more sustainable future.
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