Rivian (RIVN) is looking past Amazon for EDV deliveries after recent contract talks
Rivian ($RIVN) is in discussion with its largest shareholder and commercial partner, Amazon ($AMZN), to end a significant part of its 2019 electric delivery van (EDV) agreement.
Amazon initially invested $700 million in Rivian in 2019, releasing its first electric delivery van later that year, built and designed by the young EV maker.
In September 2019, Amazon vowed to buy over 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans (EDV), expected to roll out by the end of the decade as part of the Amazon cofounded environment commitment, The Climate Pledge, to reach net zero carbon by 2040.
The first Rivian and Amazon EDVs began making deliveries across Los Angeles in February 2021, reiterating the intention to expand the service to new cities. Last year, the service expanded to over 100 US cities, with 1,000 Rivian EDVs debuting during the 2022 holiday season.
Leaders from both companies have praised the relationship, with the financial backing giving Rivian a lifeline as it ramps EV production. It also contributes to Amazon hitting its climate goals.
However, a new report from The Wall Street Journal on Monday claims Rivian is in contract talks with Amazon to end the exclusivity part of the initial contract.
Rivian and Amazon discuss EDV contract options
According to sources familiar with the matter speaking to WSJ, the contract talks come after Amazon informed Rivian it wanted to purchase 10,000 EDVs in 2023, the lower end of the e-commerce giant’s previous guidance.
For this reason, Rivian is seeking to remove the exclusivity part of the contract, which would open up the possibility of signing new commercial customers.
A Rivian spokesperson said the relationship with Amazon “has always been a positive one,” adding:
We continue to work closely together and are navigating a changing economic climate, similar to many companies.
The “changing economic climate” Rivian is referring to is higher interest rates and slowing demand across the economy after several years of explosive growth.
Rivian and Amazon have both implemented cost-saving plans to reduce expenses and increase profitability.
Amazon is laying off over 18,000 workers, while Rivian announced it was also laying off 6% of its workforce as it works to cut expenses in February.
Electrek’s Take
Although ending the exclusivity clause in the Amazon EDV contract would open up the possibility of Rivian seeking other commercial customers, it could be detrimental to the EV startup going forward.
Amazon’s backing was a lifeline for Rivian as it ramped production. Many investors overlooked the EV makers over billion-dollar losses ($1.7 billion in Q4) claiming Rivian had backing from Amazon and Ford.
Well, Ford trimmed its stake last month to a mere 1.15% ownership, and Amazon, with 17% ownership, is seemingly trending in a similar direction.
With losses expanding on every vehicle produced and its largest shareholders fleeing, it could make for a long road ahead for Rivian. Although the Rivian R1T and R1S are fantastic vehicles, if the company can’t make them profitably, investors will look the other way. Especially with many looking to reduce risk in this economy.
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Volvo Cars took the wraps off new-for-2026 S90 plug-in hybrid, calling the big sedan the most elegant and comfortable 90 yet, promising nearly 50 miles (80 km) of all-electric range and a comprehensive suite of high-end technology and design updates … but if you’re reading this in English, you probably can’t have one.
The updated Volvo S90 is still blinking into the spotlight, but there are already reports that Volvo Cars has decided against bringing the slick new sedan to the US. And Canada. And the UK. And … you get the idea.
That’s too bad, too – because the SPA S90 has always been a comfortable and capable performer. Alas, sedans aren’t selling, you could get whiplash trying to keep track of all the tariff news these days, and Volvo (like a lot of companies in 2025, frankly), no longer needs the English-speaking world to keep it profitable.
“The S90 is a key part of our product portfolio for the coming years in some of our Asian markets,” says Erik Severinson, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Volvo Cars. “Together with the new fully electric ES90, the new S90 ensures we have a complete and attractive offering for customers who value safety and want to drive a large, sleek Volvo sedan.”
Invoking the electric-only ES90 EV is a key point here – and Volvo is pushing its marketing heavily into the idea that the PHEV version(s) of the face-lifted luxo-cruiser is “really” an EV, with press copy that reads:
As a plug-in hybrid, the new S90 is an electric car with a back-up plan. It offers 80 kilometers of fully electric range on a single charge under the WLTP testing cycle, while also providing more power when needed. This means that many S90 drivers will be able to do their daily commute with zero tailpipe emissions. Volvo Cars’ data shows that nearly half of the distance covered by the latest plug-in hybrid Volvo cars is powered purely by electricity.
There’s plenty to unpack there – not the least of which is whether or not the cars’ owners will ever actually plug them in. My personal experience with friends and neighbors who own T8/PHEV Volvos now would tell me that they’re more likely than, say, Jeep Wrangler 4xe owners to plug-in … but it hardly matters at this point.
The new S90 will be available to order for customers in China this summer, with selected other markets following later.
Check out some of the official press photos, below, then let us know whether or not you’ll miss seeing new S90s on English-speaking roads in the comments.
Volvo S90 photo gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo Cars.
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On today’s fleet-focused episode of Quick Charge, we talk about a hot topic in today’s trucking industry called, “the messy middle,” explore some of the ways legacy truck brands are working to reduce fuel consumption and increase freight efficiency. PLUS: we’ve got ReVolt Motors’ CEO and founder Gus Gardner on-hand to tell us why he thinks his solution is better.
You know, for some people.
We’ve also got a look at the Kenworth Supertruck 2 concept truck, revisit the Revoy hybrid tandem trailer, and even plug a great article by CCJ’s Jeff Seger, who is asking some great questions over there. All this and more – enjoy!
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Thanks to Trump’s repeated executive order attacks on US clean energy policy, nearly $8 billion in investments and 16 new large-scale factories and other projects were cancelled, closed, or downsized in Q1 2025.
The $7.9 billion in investments withdrawn since January are more than three times the total investments cancelled over the previous 30 months, according to nonpartisan policy group E2’s latest Clean Economy Works monthly update.
However, companies continue to invest in the US renewable sector. Businesses in March announced 10 projects worth more than $1.6 billion for new solar, EV, and grid and transmission equipment factories across six states. That includes Tesla’s plan to invest $200 million in a battery factory near Houston that’s expected to create at least 1,500 new jobs. Combined, the projects are expected to create at least 5,000 new permanent jobs if completed.
Michael Timberlake of E2 said, “Clean energy companies still want to invest in America, but uncertainty over Trump administration policies and the future of critical clean energy tax credits are taking a clear toll. If this self-inflicted and unnecessary market uncertainty continues, we’ll almost certainly see more projects paused, more construction halted, and more job opportunities disappear.”
March’s 10 new projects bring the overall number of major clean energy projects tracked by E2 to 390 across 42 states and Puerto Rico. Companies have said they plan to invest more than $133 billion in these projects and hire 122,000 permanent workers.
Since Congress passed federal clean energy tax credits in August 2022, 34 clean energy projects have been cancelled, downsized, or shut down altogether, wiping out more than 15,000 jobs and scrapping $10 billion in planned investment, according to E2 and Atlas Public Policy.
However, in just the first three months of 2025, after Trump started rolling back clean energy policies, 13 projects were scrapped or scaled back, totaling more than $5 billion. That includes Bosch pulling the plug on its $200 million hydrogen fuel cell plant in South Carolina and Freyr Battery canceling its $2.5 billion battery factory in Georgia.
Republican-led districts have reaped the biggest rewards from Biden’s clean energy tax credits, but they’re also taking the biggest hits under Trump. So far, more than $6 billion in projects and over 10,000 jobs have been wiped out in GOP districts alone.
And the stakes are high. Through March, Republican districts have claimed 62% of all clean energy project announcements, 71% of the jobs, and a staggering 83% of the total investment.
A full map and list of announcements can be seen on E2’s website here. E2 says it will incorporate cancellation data in the coming weeks.
Read more: FREYR kills plans to build a $2.6 billion battery factory in Georgia
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