Ars Technica Review of the Mercedes eSprinter

[jermwarfare]

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/0...-option-for-hauling-big-cargo-emissions-free/

The headline makes me wonder if there is a hidden agenda as it boils down to a couple of minor points at the end of the article (more range, cheaper) but there is no real comparison. I asked an Amazon driver one day if they liked their Rivian van and he said "it's the best thing ever". I highly doubt any delivery driver would be half as enthusiastic about this which isn't serving the same purpose at all.

Sponsored

 

[Hillbilly]

When they confirmed it wouldn't be easy to tap into the high voltage system for RV conversion, I lost interest.

 

[Dark-Fx]

"Can I actually buy one" is the most important metric to me.

 

[COdogman]

I have also asked multiple Amazon drivers who come to my business in the Rivian vans what they think and they all agree it is fantastic.

I'm sure the Sprinter EV will be great too. That delivery/ work van market is huge - plenty of business for everyone. It would have been a surprise if MB messed that up.

 

[jermwarfare]

I have also asked multiple Amazon drivers who come to my business in the Rivian vans what they think and they all agree it is fantastic.

I'm sure the Sprinter EV will be great too. That delivery/ work van market is huge - plenty of business for everyone. It would have been a surprise if MB messed that up.

Yeah, I think it might be a great work van but not so much a great package delivery van. Kind of comparing apples and oranges with the pricing as the rivian is already built out for its final purpose.

 

[COdogman]

Yeah, I think it might be a great work van but not so much a great package delivery van. Kind of comparing apples and oranges with the pricing as the rivian is already built out for its final purpose.

True. Although if you ever get a chance to stand in a Rivian mobile service van, it is pretty cool how capable it is. Tons of storage and a shocking amount of tools are packed in there. I got to hang out in one at the opening for the Denver showroom and I was definitely impressed. (doesn't take much)

 

[VSG]

From a workflow perspective, the Rivian van is so much nicer as a delivery vehicle.

Now that Amazon has switched to using the EDV in my neighborhood, I've been watching how the van drivers work compared to how other delivery drivers (in Sprinters, Transits, etc) work.

For the drivers in the Sprinter vans, they park, get out the driver's door, walk around and pull open the slider door on the passenger side, crouch to get in and search for the package, then hop out (no real steps) and walk over to a house to deliver a package, then come back and close the slider door, walk around to the driver's side, get in, shut the door and drive three houses down. Repeat. Oh, and there's also the stop engine/start engine/stop engine routine a hundred times a day.

For the Amazon EDV, they park, walk upright directly into the back, come out and down the wide steps with a handrail on the passenger side without having to open the door, deliver the package, then walk up the passenger steps directly into their seat. There is just so much economy of motion, there is no constant opening and closing a heavy sliding door on the side, there is no constant opening and closing the driver's door, walking around the vehicle to get in and out, or balancing packages with one hand while you try to close doors with the other, etc.

It may not seem a big deal for one stop, but those guys make a LOT of stops and believe me the wear and tear on the human and on the vehicle is just so much less with the EDV.

The eSprinter is going to compete against the ICE Sprinter. The ICE Sprinter will probably win because it's cheaper and doesn't require the business to have a charging infrastructure. Even with the reduced operating costs of the EV version, a lot of businesses aren't going to want to make the larger up-front investment. Compare this to the ICE F150 vs the Ford Lightning. They compete against each other, and businesses are still choosing the ICE version. Rivian was extremely smart NOT to make a work truck, but rather to make a somewhat special purpose "adventure" truck which targeted a unique market. With both the R1T and the EDV, Rivian has carved out a niche for themselves where they excel, rather than trying to compete on other people's turf.

For those businesses who are willing to make the switch to EVs, I think they want more out of them than just reduced operating costs. I think they want a better vehicle to enable them to do more and to do it more easily. The EDV doesn't have any real competition in the delivery space, and the market for delivery vans is way bigger than Rivian's plant capacity for those vans. With the average commercial van being replaced much more often than the average consumer vehicle, the rapid turnover in this space should lead to a pretty great grown for Rivian vans over the next few years.

Sponsored