The impact of Amazon delivery van electrification

The transportation sector accounted for 20 % of global CO2 emissions in 2017, and the removal of emissions from fossil fuels used in transportation will have a major impact on the effective and timely management of climate change. To attain the desired decarbonization goals, the massive electrification of the transportation sector combined with the deeper deployment of renewable resources is an absolute prerequisite. As, by far, the largest retail entity in the world, Amazon employs a huge fleet of trucks and vehicles in the delivery of the purchased goods to the end customers. We examine the planned Amazon use of trucks and the planned replacement that is brought about by the announced purchase of 100,000 electric vans. The model chosen by the multinational company is the Rivian R1T vehicle whose production is imminent to start. We describe the specifications of the Rivian R1T, analyze the implications of those specifications and provide a side-by-side comparison with the Tesla Cybertruck, its largest competitor in light of the number of features they have in common. The change from conventional, internal combustion engine vehicles to the electric vehicles in large quantities produces many significant impacts on the environment, health, economics and well-being in every region of the world. In this report we focus specifically on the quantifiable environmental and economic impacts of this Amazon electric fleet acquisition, in three states of the US: California, New York and Illinois. The report also offers insights into the implications of the replacement of gas-fueled vehicles by electrified transportation, such as the implementation of smart grids, to enhance the EVs charging hours. Another insight is the challenging deployment of charging infrastructures in order to offer the same services as conventional vehicles.U of I OnlyUndergraduate senior thesis not recommended for open acces