Amazon set to deploy 5,000 more electric delivery vans across Europe

Image Credit: Amazon

Amazon is ramping up its electric delivery game in Europe with a significant new order, nearly 5,000 electric vans from Mercedes-Benz Vans. The vehicles, a mix of the eSprinter and eVito models, will be distributed across five countries, with Germany receiving the largest share, accounting for more than half of the total units.

Mercedes-Benz says deliveries will start in the coming months. Approximately 75% of the order consists of eSprinter vans, with the remaining 25% comprising eVito panel vans. While Germany’s 2,500+ units are confirmed, the other four countries in line for delivery haven’t been publicly named yet.

What is clear, however, is the scale of this deal. It marks the largest electric vehicle agreement to date between Amazon and Mercedes-Benz. The two companies have worked together before; back in 2020, Amazon deployed 1,800 electric vans from Mercedes. More recently, it placed an order for over 200 eActros 600 electric trucks from Mercedes-Benz Trucks earlier this year.

The new batch of eVito vans will roll out of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vitoria, Spain. At the same time, the eSprinter units are being assembled in Düsseldorf. The eVito is designed for city use and comes in two power variants (85 kW or 150 kW) and two battery sizes (60 kWh or 90 kWh). Mercedes hasn’t disclosed which spec Amazon has gone with. Meanwhile, the eSprinter offers two length options, up to three battery configurations, a load volume of 14 cubic meters, and can handle a gross vehicle weight of up to 4.25 tonnes.

With this latest investment, Amazon continues to double down on decarbonising its delivery operations, one van, one country, and one logistics hub at a time. For the Amazon models, the eSprinter vans have “custom-made shelves for parcel organisation and a partition wall with a sliding door to the driver’s cabin.” The MBUX multimedia system from Mercedes is also integrated into both model series.

“I am delighted that we are further intensifying our long-standing relationship with Amazon and are working together towards the fully electric future of transportation,” said Sagree Sardien, Head of Sales & Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Vans. “The courier, express, and parcel service industry once again proves to be a key driver of electromobility. Our eVito and eSprinter are perfectly tailored to meet the demands of our commercial customers regarding efficiency and range.”

“This deployment of 5,000 electric delivery vans further underscores our work to reduce carbon emissions in our operations. From electric bikes to vans to trucks and infrastructure, we are well on our way to transforming our transportation network. We look forward to continuing to work with Mercedes‑Benz to enable even faster electrification and decarbonisation across Europe,” added Neil Emery, Director of Global Fleet & Product at Amazon. He expects that the new vehicles will be able to deliver more than 200 million parcels per year.