Amazon has moved to further accelerate the roll out of its electric fleet, today announcing that it has placed an order for more than 1,800 electric vans with auto giant Mercedes-Benz.The deal, financial details for which were not disclosed, is the largest order of electric vehicles (EVs) to date for Mercedes-Benz and will provide a major boost to Amazon’s ambitions to decarbonise its European delivery fleets.
Mercedes-Benz has also become the latest major corporate to join Amazon’s Climate Pledge initiative, which sees companies commit to delivering net zero emissions across their business by 2040 – 10 years earlier than the Paris Agreement. The new commitment was welcomed by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, who stressed that major customers needed to work with auto manufacturers to accelerate emissions reductions across the transport sector.
Under the terms of the deal, Mercedes-Benz will deliver more than 1,200 of its latest EV, the eSprinter commercial van. It will also provide a further 600 of its first electric van, the midsize eVito. Amazon said the new vehicles would be provided to its Amazon Delivery Service Partners, helping to deliver thousands of metric tons of carbon emissions, as well as air quality improvements and reductions in running costs.
The deal is a major boost to Mercedes-Benz electrification plans, which have the company set out a “roadmap to CO2-neutral mobility” under its “Ambition2039” banner. The strategy, which was first announced last year, aims to deliver a CO2-neutral fleet of new cars in less than 20 years. The first phase of the plan aims to ensure that by the end of this year the company has five fully electric models and more than 20 plug-in hybrids available for sale.
Source: Business Green
Finnish site 
Global site