Is there a future for electric cars width

14 New Electric van models coming to the U.S. (2024-2026)

Update: USPS Electric Mail Truck, Ford E-Transit LFP battery variant, Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, and Ram ProMaster EV updated and Kia PV5 and Kia PV7 added.

Electrification in the automobile industry extends not just to hatchbacks and lifestyle electric pickup trucks but to commercial vehicles as well. The electric van segment especially got a lot of attention after Amazon invested more than $440 million in Rivian, with Ford having invested nearly $1.2 billion in the company, too, despite having its own model in the E-Transit.

Given that the average delivery van covers less than 160 miles a day, which is well within the reach of current battery technologies, fleet operators and e-commerce majors are transitioning to electric vans, and here are some options.

Tesla Robovan

After the Semi and Cybertruck, Teslas next large commercial model launch could be a van. On July 7, 2022, Elon Musk, co-founder and CEO, Tesla, asked his Twitter followers if the company should make a Robovan thats highly configurable and used to move people and transport cargo. Maybe Tesla could offer it with an optional solar power canopy that extends both sides and triples the roof area as an option, Musk said in a follow-up post on Twitter a few hours later.

At the 2023 Investor Day, Tesla showed a large boxy vehicle under a cover in a presentation slide. The outline seemed like that of a high-roof vehicle and could very well be the Tesla Robovan.

Tesla has long considered adding a van to its lineup. The company is definitely going to make an electric van at some point, Musk said during the Q4 2020 earnings conference call on January 27, 2021. A month later, during The Joe Rogan Experience podcast (listen on Spotify), he said the solar roof of such a model could add around 30 miles of range per day.

Before the Tesla Robovan, the next-gen Tesla Roadster and the Tesla Robotaxi look like priorities. So, Teslas electric van could easily be 3-4 years from commercialization. The Master Plan Part 3 (pdf) document Tesla released on April 5, 2023, suggests the company expects the Robovan and the Cybertruck together to record 300 million units in cumulative sales.

USPS Electric Mail Truck

Oshkosh Defense is developing a Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) for the United States Postal Service (USPS). While new companies like Arrival, BrightDrop, and Rivian are reinventing vans with attractive, futuristic designs, the Oshkosh Corporation subsidiary has done something strange! A duck-billed big box is how wed describe it!

The Oshkosh NGDV will be aimed at not only making delivery operations eco-friendly but also easing them for the carriers. Features like front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera system, blind spot warning system, automatic electronic parking brake, airbag, etc. will ensure safety. A surveillance camera will be installed for security, while AC and a walk-in cargo area with cab access will provide the driver comfort and convenience.

The Oshkosh NGDV will be available in an internal combustion engine variant and a pure-electric variant. Theres no word on the specifications yet, not even targeted figures. Oshkosh Defense started production of the NGDVs test units (in Spartanburg, South Carolina) in 2023. During its Q4 2023 earnings conference call on January 30, 2024, it revealed that low-volume production (presumably of the final version) will commence in April 2024. The company expects to operate at full-rate production in 2026.

According to a report Reuters filed on May 1, 2023, USPS has revealed in a court filing that it expects to get the first units of its next-gen delivery vehicles in June 2024, which would mark a nine-month delay in dispatches. It expects to procure at least 60,000 units of the NGDV, of which a minimum of 45,000 will be electric by 2028.

Ford E-Transit LFP battery variant

On February 8, 2022, Ford started shipping the E-Transit electric van to customers from its Kansas City Assembly Plant. Prices of the E-Transit in the U.S. start at USD 45,995 (excl. USD 1,895 destination charges). The E-Transit was the best-selling electric vans in the U.S. in 2022, with 6,500 units delivered. In 2023, sales increased by 18% to 7,672 units. Once again, the E-Transit was the no.1 electric van in our market.

Available in various configurations (three roof heights, three lengths, and as a Cargo Van, Chassis Cab, and Cutaway), the E-Transit uses an 89 kWh lithium-ion battery and a single permanent-magnet motor that produces 198 kW (266 hp) and 317 lb.-ft. of torque. On a full charge, it can cover 159 miles (on the low-roof cargo van configuration).

Ford is doubling down on LFP batteries, seeing them as a highly cost-effective solution to make EVs more accessible. The company uses them in select Mustang Mach-E configurations and plans to use them in select F-150 Lightning configurations from early 2024. It will invest USD 3.5 billion in the construction of Americas first automaker-backed LFP battery plant, located in Marshall, Michigan.

On July 21, 2022, during Fords EV Update Conference call, Lisa Drake, whos now the vice president for Ford Model e EV industrialization, said that you could see LFP maybe in the future being on an E-Transit. We think that should happen the latest by 2026, by when Ford may have learned enough from the Mustang Mach-E LFP and F-150 Lightning LFP and will have kicked off in-house production at the Marshall plant.

A UAW document has revealed that Ford plans to build an all-new electric van at its Ohio Assembly Plant, as per a report Carscoops published on November 1, 2023. We think the unannounced electric van may be the second-gen E-Transit.

Rivian Amazon Prime Van

The Amazon electric van is built on the R1s skateboard chassis, albeit at a lower cost (using a lot of steel). There are three versions of the Rivian EDV: Rivian EDV 500, Rivian EDV 700, and Rivian EDV 900, named as per their respective load capacities. According to a report from autoblog, it will be available in single-motor FWD, dual-motor FWD, and dual-motor AWD configurations.

Amazon deployed Rivian-sourced electric delivery vans in the U.S. in the Summer of 2022, and as of October 18, 2023, it has more than 10,000 units of those models on the road. The company uses them in more than 1,800 cities across the country and has delivered more than 260 million packages.

Amazon plans to acquire a total of 100,000 EDVs from Rivian, so a large part of the order is still pending. Rivian has revised its terms & conditions with Amazon so that it can sell commercial vans to other customers, Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe announced during the companys Q3 earnings conference call on November 7, 2023.

In an SEC filing on October 1, 2021, Rivian had revealed the following specifications of the EDV:

Rivian has started using an LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery pack in the EDV, which has helped it reduce cost and maybe even improve supply stability. In the case of our commercial vans, 100% of the commercial vans are moving to LFP pack configuration, RJ Scaringe, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Rivian, said during the companys Q1 2023 earnings conference call on May 9, 2022.

Rivian Commercial Van

Following the aforementioned change in the agreement with Amazon, Rivian has released a modified version of the Electric Delivery Van (EDV) for other customers, simply called Commercial Van. The Rivian Commercial Van features LED headlights, a curbside sliding door, a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, two wireless charging pads, a 360-degree camera system, three airbags, automatic emergency braking, and various advanced driver assistance systems.

The Rivian Commercial Van is available in 500 and 700 versions, which are equivalent to the Amazon EDVs 500 and 700 versions. The Rivian Delivery 500 Commercial Van has a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,350 lbs. and a payload capacity of 2,734 lbs. Rivian estimates it can travel up to 161 miles on a full charge.

The Rivian Delivery 700 Commercial Van has a higher gross vehicle weight rating of 9,500 lbs. but a lower payload capacity of 2,513 lbs. The 700 versions advantage over the 500 version is a significantly bigger cargo area. Its estimated range is slightly lower 153 miles.

The Rivian Commercial Van is priced at USD 83,000 for the 500 version and USD 87,000 for the 700 version. Rivian indicates that both the Delivery 500 Commercial Van and Delivery 700 Commercial Van could be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to USD 7,500. Deliveries are expected to commence in early 2024 on a limited scale.

Brightdrop Zevo 400/BrightDrop EV410

BrightDrop also offers a smaller model called BrightDrop Zevo 400. Originally announced as the BrightDrop EV410, it is designed for smaller and more frequent deliveries. It is less than 20 feet long, and its wheelbase measures just over 150 inches. It offers more than 400 cu. ft. of cargo area (11,327 liters).

The Brightdrop electric van models ride on a dedicated EV architecture while making use of GMs Ultium battery technology and drive technology (the same technology found on its passenger vehicles).

Verizon is the Zevo 400s first customer, and the popular cellular carrier will induct the vans into its service fleet. On January 1, 2022, Brightdrop announced that Walmart has signed an agreement to reserve 5,000 units of the EV600 and EV410 electric vans. In its Q4 2021 earnings conference call, GM said that it has received more than 25,000 reservations for BrightDrop cargo vans. Merchants Fleet has ordered 5,400 units of the Zevo 400.

Production of the Zevo 400 will take place alongside the Zevo 600 at GMs CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll (Ontario), Canada, likely starting in Spring 2024. On June 30, 2022, former BrightDrop President and CEO Travis Katz told Bloomberg that the company plans to have an annual production capacity of more than 50,000 EVs at this plant by 2025. The Zevo 400 was also part of the interaction, with Katz saying that this is a great vehicle, particularly for uses like grocery delivery, where customers do shorter runs for delivering all the packages.

Bollinger Deliver-E

Bollinger, Michigan-based startup, is working on a commercial electric van, called Deliver-E. Expected to be based on a simplified version of the Bollinger skateboard platform (Chass-E), the Deliver-E would be built in multiple wheelbase sizes and configurations with battery specifications of 70 kWh, 105 kWh, 140 kWh, 175 kWh, and 210 kWh, in a front-wheel drive layout. Bollinger has not announced when production will start. It is still looking for a manufacturing partner, especially one that has experience in making van bodies as it does not plan on making the body itself, the companys CEO Robert Bollinger said in a statement.

Bollinger Motors has outsourced manufacturing of its Class 3-6 platform platforms and chassis cab commercial vehicles to Roush Industries. Bollinger Motors will provide Roush Industries with the parts for assembly, which will conduct the further process at its Livonia facility in Michigan. Production of the Bollinger Deliver-E van could also take place at the same production site. Southern California-based EV company Mullen Automotive holds a 60% stake in Bollinger since September 8, 2022.

Mercedes-Benz eSprinter

The 2024 eSprinter is available in the U.S. as a long-wheelbase cargo van with a high roof, a load capacity of 488 cu. ft., and a payload capacity of 2,624 lbs. The new electric van has a GVWR of 9,370 lbs. and a GCWR of 11,023 lbs.

A permanent magnet synchronous motor, offered in 100 kW (134 hp)/400 Nm (295 lb.-ft.) and 150 kW (201 hp)/400 Nm (295 lb.-ft.) variants, powers the 2024 eSprinter. The electric van has a top speed of 75 mph.

The U.S.-spec model has the largest battery pack in the line-up, with an energy storage capacity of 113 kWh. However, this battery pack consists of lithium iron phosphate cells. The 113 kWh battery pack consists supports charging at up to 9.6 kW (AC)/115 kW (DC). Using a Level 2 AC fast-charger, a full (0-100%) charging session takes about 12.5 hours. At a DC fast-charging station, 10 to 80 percent SoC takes ~42 minutes.

The officially expected range is 273 miles, but thats according to WLTP. The EPA-estimated range could be between 210 and 220 miles.

The 2024 Mercedes eSprinter has been priced at USD 71,886 in the 134-horsepower variant and USD 75,316 in the 201-horsepower variant. Manufactured locally in Charleston, South Carolina, the new electric van has started arriving at U.S. dealers.

Mercedes premium vans

Mercedes-Benz Vans has confirmed new pure-electric premium commercial vans in the mid-size and large segments. The company will build the electric commercial vans on a new VAN.EA-C platform, tailor-made for various configurations and applications. The upcoming platform will be designed and engineered from the ground up for purpose-built electric vehicles. The dedicated approach ensures that the vans using this platform will offer superior spaciousness and efficiency compared to electric vans that employ modified internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle platforms.

Running MB.OS vehicle software, the new electric Mercedes vans for commercial use will be highly digital. They will support SAE Level 2 autonomous driving right from launch. Mercedes-Benz Vans plans to begin offering SAE Level 4 autonomous driving in them by 2030. Courier, express and parcel delivery (CEP) operators, hospitals, roadside assistance companies, and many other service providers will find the new electric Mercedes vans suitable for their work.

The first electric Mercedes premium van for commercial use will likely be launched in 2025.

Canoo electric vans

Canoo Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle

The Canoo Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV) is a delivery-specific trim of the Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle. The purpose-built EV sits on the companys modular electric platform, which is a skateboard chassis. Its just as big as a compact car, but with interior space comparable to a large SUV.

The Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle has an 80 kWh battery pack, which Canoo expects to deliver a range of 250 miles. It offers a cargo volume of 120 cubic feet and a payload capacity of 1,543 lbs. Customers can order it in single-seat and two-seat versions.

Speaking of customers, Walmart had an agreement with Canoo to purchase 4,500 electric delivery vehicles by the end of 2023, beginning with the LDV. Canoo has delivered a few LDV units to Walmart, and the latter will use them under a pilot project to help Canoo refine and finalize its custom configuration.

On November 13, 2023, Canoo announced that it had dispatched the first batch of the LDV to Oklahoma as part of its agreement with the state government to supply up to 1,000 vehicles. Theres no official update on the start of deliveries of Walmarts LDV, though.

Canoo Multi-Purpose Delivery Vehicle

Despite a series of high-level exits in its workforce, Canoo still plans to bring out the MPDV (Multi-purpose Delivery Vehicle) for the 2024 model year, according to reports. Canoo plans on having two variants of its electric van: MPDV 1 and MPDV 2. They will ride on the same skateboard chassis as the Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle, but where the MPDV 1 would be the size of a Transit Connect, the MPDV 2 would be equivalent to the full-size Transit.

Both models will be front-wheel driven making around 200 hp and be available in battery sizes of 40, 60, and 80 kWh. The MPDV 1 will cover 130, 190, and 230 miles respectively whereas the larger MPDV 2 will achieve 90, 140, and 190 miles at these capacities.

Where the MPDV 1 is rated for 200 cubic feet of cargo space, the larger MPDV 2 offers more than double the cargo space 450 cubic feet. The company claims its quirky styling has resulted in maximum interior space offering 30% more parcel volume than ICE-powered vans. The starting price of the MPDV is USD 33,000, and the company has started taking reservations online.

Kia PV5

The Kia PV5 will be a mid-size purpose-built vehicle designed for businesses like urban passenger mobility and cargo transportation. Scheduled to arrive in 2025, it will be available in Basic (passenger), Van (delivery), High Roof (delivery), and Chassis Cab versions.

The PV5 will have a modern exterior with angular vertical DRLs, discreetly placed headlamps, aero wheels, etc. The model will feature OTA (Over the Air) and FoD (Feature on Demand) services.

The passenger version should have a minimalist interior and offer easy ingress/egress through large sliding doors. We expect it to feature a dashboard that looks like a sleek, desk-like surface, a compact steering wheel, and a freestanding portrait touchscreen infotainment system.

The Kia PV5 will sit on an eS platform, a part of Hyundai Motor Groups Integrated Modular Architecture (IMA) system, an EV skateboard developed exclusively for PBVs. The Kia SW PBV will be able to travel up to 600 km (373 miles) on a single charge. It will have a 1.8 m (5.9 ft.) indoor height.

Kia will manufacture the mid-size PBV at a dedicated factory in the Autoland Hwaseong production facility in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The company will begin mass production in the second half of 2025. It plans to produce 150,000 PBVs in the first full year. A Robo-Taxi version capable of Level 4 autonomous driving will follow, likely featuring a LiDAR on its roof.

Kia PV7

The Kia PV7 will be a large cargo delivery and multi van measuring around 207.5 inches in length, 81.3 inches in width, and 83.5 inches in height and having a wheelbase of approximately 133.5 inches. Customers will be able to use it as a people mover shuttle, mobile store/office van, delivery van, refrigerated van, and more. The large electric van will arrive after the mid-size model explained above.

Large logistics or distribution companies, shuttle service providers, ride-hailing service providers, small business owners, and contract drivers will find the PV7 attractive because of its spacious and versatile interior.

The Kia PV7 should also roll out of the same new dedicated PBV plant in Hwaseong, South Korea. Kia should also set up an exclusive dealer network for commercial vehicles in almost every market where it plans to sell vans. John Hargreaves told Fleet News that Kia would need to establish a dealer network for after-sales coverage. Hargreaves is the companys manager for fleet and remarketing in the UK, where the plan appears to involve the launch of a range of vans and a wide dealer network offering sales and service.

Ram ProMaster EV

The Ram ProMaster EV is the brands first all-electric model in the U.S. and Canada. The full-size electric van will be available in five configurations, including two roof heights, two cargo lengths (12 ft. and 13.5 ft.), and two body styles. A delivery model, priced from USD 86,995 (excl. USD 1,995 destination charges), is available to order, while a non-delivery/cargo model will follow in 2025.

The Ram ProMaster EV delivery model has a 159-inch wheelbase and an extended super-high roof. It offers 2,030 lbs. of payload capacity. The Ram ProMaster EV cargo van will be available in 12 ft. and 13.5 ft. cargo length versions, both with a 159-inch wheelbase. It will offer up to 3,020 lbs. of payload capacity.

The Ram ProMaster EV employs one motor at the front across the line-up. It produces 268 hp and 302 lb.-ft. of torque and relies on a 110 kWh battery pack, which is also standard. The battery pack can be charged at up to 150 kW, and when fully charged, it should deliver up to 168 miles of range in the city. Note that the range is not EPA-estimated.

The ProMaster EV features the Uconnect 5 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which shows EV-specific details like charging level and power flow. Additionally, five charging identification lights on the dashboard lets the driver keep track of the charging status.

Merchants Fleet will be one of the key commercial customers of the upcoming electric van. It has agreed to purchase 12,500 units of the Ram ProMaster EV over an undisclosed number of years. Additionally, Stellantis has struck a deal with Amazon to deliver thousands of Promaster EV vans and is likely to be its biggest buyer in the United States.

Blue Arc delivery van

Michigan-based The Shyft Group (formerly Spartan Motors) introduced a new EV solutions brand called Blue Arc on March 9, 2022. One of the Blue Arc products the company has confirmed for launch is a walk-in delivery van. The company says the Blue Arc van will be a one-of-a-kind product in the market designed for high-frequency, last-mile delivery fleets.

The Blue Arc delivery van offers 635-800 cubic feet of cargo space and has a payload capacity of up to 5,000 lbs. The battery pack capacity ranges from 160-240 kWh, with a system voltage of 800V. At least one of the configurations delivers a range of 150 miles. A solar roof that can produce 1-2 kW is optional. The electric delivery van has a scalable chassis design (Class 3-5), with its length ranging from 12 feet to 22 feet.

The Blue Arc delivery van features many convenience and safety features, such as a 360-degree camera system, large HD camera displays integrated into the dashboard, automated entry, lane departure, and parking sensors.

The Shyft Group has received CARB approval for its Blue Arc EV Solutions Class 3-5 EDVs. CARD has given the Class 3 Blue Arc EVs a city driving range rating of 225 miles. According to EPA, the Blue Arc Class 3 EDV with a 165 kWh battery pack can deliver a range of up to 200 miles and have a fuel consumption equivalent of 45 MPGe.

Former Shyft Group President and CEO Daryl Adams had said in an interview with Reuters that the company plans to build 200 units of the Blue Arc in 2022 and ramp it up to just 2,500 units by 2025. One company has already placed an order for 2,000 Blue Arc vehicles.

On October 26, 2023, during Shyft Groups Q3 2023 earnings conference call, CFO Jon Douyard said that the company is postponing delivery commencement to 2024 because of battery issues. Shyft Group plans to make the Blue Arc delivery van in Charlotte, Michigan.

A Mechanical Engineer by qualification, I started out as an automotive editor of a regional magazine in 2011. In my 11 years of experience in creating automotive content, Ive traveled around the world to review, analyze and report on the worlds top electrified cars.