Rivian Begins Deliveries of Electric Van With 30% More Range and AWD - Electric vehicles and charging

The upgraded EDV 700 adds a 129 kWh usable LFP battery and an optional dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration. Rivian says deliveries began in early October.

Rivian has begun delivering the first major hardware update to its electric delivery van since production started in 2021. The new EDV 700 features a larger LFP battery pack and is available with either front-wheel drive or a new dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup. Rivian says the upgrades increase range by 30% and are intended to extend the van’s reach to more rural routes.

The company confirmed the start of deliveries in its Q3 2026 shareholder presentation. The update applies only to the larger EDV 700, which has 652 cubic feet of cargo space. The smaller EDV 500 retains its existing battery and front-wheel drive.

EPA certification documents for the 2027 EDV 700 list the new battery’s usable capacity at 129 kWh. Rivian has marketed the current van with a 100 kWh LFP pack. The company rates the current EDV 700 at up to 160 miles of range and says the new versions provide a 30% increase.

The EPA filing includes unadjusted laboratory figures of 261.7 miles for the current front-wheel-drive EDV 700, 355.5 miles for the new front-wheel-drive version and 322.25 miles for the new AWD model. These figures do not include the adjustment used to reflect real-world driving. Based on Rivian’s stated range and the EPA results, the source estimates roughly 208 miles for the new front-wheel-drive van and about 195 to 200 miles for the AWD version.

Rivian had previously said it was developing a larger battery and an AWD option to expand route coverage in Amazon’s network. The company now says the new configurations are designed to reach more rural areas, where longer distances and road conditions such as gravel, mud and snow can make additional range and traction useful.

The van business remains heavily tied to Amazon, even though the exclusivity period ended in late 2023. Rivian needs to build demand among other fleet operators, but the available information does not confirm a new customer order. A Rivian van carrying Walmart+ branding was recently seen on a car hauler in Indiana; neither company has announced a deal.

Sources: Electrek.