Amazon is pushing ahead with plans to electrify its North Texas delivery fleet, according to a permit filed with the state of Texas.
In early July, the e-commerce giant will begin construction on charging stations at its distribution center at 10001 South Freeway in Fort Worth. The project is estimated to cost around $1 million and will be completed by Sept. 9, according to the filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
“We’re working to electrify delivery stations across the country this year and over the next several years to help us support a zero emissions fleet and reach our goal of becoming net-zero carbon across all operations by 2040 as part of our commitment to The Climate Pledge,” Amazon spokeswoman Kate Scarpa said in a statement.
Rivian delivery vehicles with Amazon branding are expected to hit roads as early as this year. Amazon invested in the electric vehicle startup as part of its $2 billion pledge to cut emissions. It has ordered 100,000 electric trucks from Rivian and expects around 10,000 of them to be on roads in 2022.
It’s unclear whether the charging stations permitted at Amazon’s Tarrant County distribution center are part of the company’s partnership with Rivian, and the spokesperson for Amazon declined to say on Tuesday whether they were specifically intended for use with Rivian delivery vehicles.
“Rivian is an important partner for Amazon, and we are excited about the future. Putting 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road by 2030 is no small feat, and we remain committed to working with Rivian to make it a reality,” Scarpa said.
Rivian’s IPO late last year was one of the largest in history, but the troubled electric vehicle company’s stock value has plummeted nearly 90% since then. It was responsible for quarterly losses incurred by investors Ford and Amazon in recent weeks, and Ford is reportedly ready to dump millions of shares of Rivian stock.
Rivian is also entangled in the Georgia governor’s race, where the historic tax incentives provided for its $5 billion assembly plant have become a flashpoint for debate.
Joining Amazon in electrifying delivery fleets this year is Plano-based Frito-Lay, which has ordered 40 of Ford’s all-electric eTransit trucks for a pilot program in Carrollton.
