Rivian has begun delivering electric vans with a larger battery and an optional second motor for all-wheel drive (AWD). The upgrades, confirmed in its October 29 third-quarter results, are designed to help the vans cover longer rural delivery routes as well as cities.
The Bigger Battery Adds Range, While AWD Improves Grip
The new Large battery pack has 129 kWh of usable capacity, compared with 90 kWh in the Standard pack, according to EPA documents from Rivian reported in October. Both use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells.
Rivian says the larger battery provides around 30% more driving range. AWD separately adds a rear electric motor for better traction on snow, mud, and gravel.
Rivian confirmed in its third-quarter presentation that deliveries of the vans with the option of the larger battery pack began in early October.
EPA Testing Shows How AWD Affects Range
The existing front-wheel-drive EDV 700 achieved 261.7 miles (421 km) in unadjusted EPA lab testing, according to certification documents reported by Electrek. The new larger-battery version reached 355.5 miles (572 km), nearly 36% farther. Adding AWD reduced that figure to 322.25 miles (519 km), still 23% above the original.
These range figures should not be treated as realistic numbers that you would be able to reach. This can be seen when Rivian only advertises up to 160 miles (257 km) for the standard van.
Rivian has not announced official range figures for the new models, but Electrek estimates approximately 195 to 200 miles (314-322 km) for the AWD version with the larger 129 kWh battery. That remains an estimate, not an official rating.
Only the Larger EDV 700 Gets the Upgrades
The larger battery and AWD are available on the long-wheelbase EDV 700, which offers 652 cubic feet (18.5 cubic meters) of cargo space. The smaller EDV 500 maintains its existing battery and front-wheel drive.
The upgrades also apply to the Rivian Commercial Van (RCV), according to InsideEVs. Rivian also sells the van to businesses other than Amazon through its fleet program.
The additional hardware increases weight. The larger battery adds roughly 1,000 pounds (454 kg), while the rear motor for AWD adds approximately 450 pounds (204 kg).
Amazon Remains Rivian’s Largest Van Customer
Amazon had more than 30,000 Rivian delivery vans in service by early 2026, according to Rivian. By July, Amazon already operated more than 40,000 of these Rivian delivery vans, according to Rivian’s second-quarter presentation.
Rivian sold 15,685 electric delivery and commercial vans in the United States between January and September 2026, according to Cox Automotive estimates, making them the country’s best-selling electric commercial vans.
Electrek recently reported a Rivian van with Walmart+ branding in Indiana, although neither company has announced a partnership.
Competition has also changed. GM ended its BrightDrop production in October 2025, leaving Ford’s E-Transit among Rivian’s main full-size electric competition. Rivian faced its own temporary production shutdown in 2024 because of a shortage of parts.
EVXL’s Take
The upgrades address two limitations of electric delivery vans: driving range and traction in bad weather or on difficult roads.
For rural fleets, that could make the difference between completing a route on one charge and needing to stop. However, AWD also adds weight and reduces some of the larger battery’s range advantage.
Rivian now has a stronger product for operators beyond dense urban delivery networks. Whether that translates into substantially more sales outside of Amazon will be the real test.
Sources: Rivian Q3 2026 earnings presentation, Rivian Q2 2026 earnings presentation, Rivian, Electrek, InsideEVs, Cox Automotive
EVXL uses automated tools to support research and source retrieval. All reporting is by Damien Kesteloo, edited by Haye Kesteloo.
