Rivian Announces Commercial Van: Price, Range and Specs

By Karan Singh
Rivian Wave

The Rivian Commercial Van has gone by several names, including the Rivian Commercial Vehicle (RCV) and the Rivian Electric Delivery Vehicle (EDV). Now, Rivian seems to have finalized its naming strategy, officially branding it as the Rivian Commercial Van.

But the name change isn’t the biggest news—Rivian has officially opened early fleet orders for the 2025 RCV in two variants: the 500 Series and 700 Series. On February 5th, 2025, Rivian began inviting interested buyers to configure their fleet orders via email.

What is the RCV?

The Rivian Commercial Vehicle is an all-electric van designed for efficiently transporting goods over short to medium distances—all while ensuring cargo and fleet safety, security, and a touch of style. Best of all, as a modern EV, the RCV helps fleet owners reduce maintenance and fuel costs, making it a smart and sustainable choice for commercial operations.

The Purpose

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The RCV is a purpose-built last-mile delivery van designed for efficiency and versatility. It features an automatic rear bulkhead door and an easily accessible curbside door, allowing for seamless deliveries whether streetside or at a loading dock. This flexibility enables businesses to streamline operations, potentially eliminating the need for a last-mile warehouse to transfer goods from larger vehicles to smaller ones.

Rivian offers the RCV in two variants: the RCV 500 and the RCV 700. The 500 is optimized for navigating city streets and tight urban environments, while the 700 provides expanded cargo space for businesses that require more capacity without compromising maneuverability in standard delivery routes.

Specs and Details

As previously mentioned, there are two specs to the RCV - the 500 and 700. The tables below provide all the key information you’ll need to understand what is offered with each vehicle. All information provided below is in imperial measurements first, while metric measurements are in parentheses.

Spec

RCV 500

RCV 700

Length

248.5” (6,311mm)

278” (7,061mm)

Max Width

96.4” (2,449mm)

103.5”  (2629mm)

Height

114.7” (2914mm)

114.8” (2917mm)

Wheelbase

157.5” (4000mm)

187” (4,750mm)

Ground Clearance

6.7” (171mm)

6.9” (175mm)

Turning Circle

46.9 ft (14.3m)

53.9 ft (16.4m)

Cargo Area - Volume

487 cu. ft. (13.8m3)

652 cu. ft. (18.5m3)

Cargo Area Width x Length 

(Max)

76.5” x 137.3”

(1,943mm x 3487mm)

83.6” x 166.8”

(2,213mm x 4,237mm)

Cargo Area - Height

(Door Closed)

82.6” (2,097mm)

82.6” (2,097mm)

Closures

Rear Door (Roll-Up)

Curbside Door (Sliding

Hinged Driver Door

Powered Bulkhead Door

Rear Door (Roll-Up)

Curbside Door (Sliding

Hinged Driver Door

Powered Bulkhead Door

Charge Port Location (CCS)

Front-left corner

Front-left corner

Curb Weight

6,837lbs (3,101kg)

7,242lbs (3,285kg)

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

9,500lbs (4,309kg)

9,500lbs (4,309kg)

Payload

2,663lbs (1,208kg)

2,258lbs (1,024kg)

Rivian is keeping things simple when it comes to drivetrain options for the RCV 500 and RCV 700—both models feature a single-motor, front-wheel-drive setup delivering 320 horsepower and 299 lb-ft of torque for a smooth yet capable drive.

Range figures are solid for urban and regional deliveries. The RCV 500 is rated at 161 miles (259 km) of range, while the larger RCV 700 comes in just slightly lower at 160 miles (256 km). As with most EPA estimates, real-world conditions—such as stop-and-go city traffic—may reduce range by 5-10%, though the impact is minimal for the van’s intended use.

Both models are powered by a 100 kWh LFP battery pack, supporting DC fast charging at 100 kW and AC charging at 11 kW. While these speeds aren’t groundbreaking, they’re well-suited for fleet operations, where vehicles can charge overnight and be ready to roll the next workday.

Amazon Contract

The Amazon Prime RCV.
The Amazon Prime RCV.
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Rivian has been working closely with Amazon to develop purpose-built last-mile delivery vehicles, starting with the Rivian EDV. Amazon continues to deploy additional RCVs, a strong indicator that the vehicle has reduced operating costs when compared to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vans.

With RCV production ramping up, Rivian is now in a position to supply more commercial fleet customers beyond Amazon. This expansion allows Rivian to tap into a market traditionally dominated by legacy automakers like Ford and Dodge. As Rivian scales production, its commercial van business is shaping up to be a major and sustainable revenue stream.

HelloFresh Contract

coz_13 on reddit

Several RCVs have already been spotted in HelloFresh and Factor liveries, suggesting that Rivian and HelloFresh are collaborating to test the RCV for meal package deliveries.

The first sightings of these branded RCVs date back to late December 2024, with additional vehicles appearing across the U.S. in the weeks since. Interestingly, rather than featuring HelloFresh’s primary branding, many of the vans showcase the Factor and Chef’s Plate trademarks—both subsidiaries of HelloFresh—hinting at broader future deployments.

Camper Vans?

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Rivian’s consumer lineup is all about adventure, and what better way to explore than in a fully electric camper van? Introducing the RCV Camper Van—a concept that could redefine off-grid travel.

While Rivian hasn’t yet announced single-vehicle sales of the RCV, we’re hoping that changes soon, giving customers the opportunity to build their dream electric adventure van.

Imagine a Rivian Adventure Van equipped with a built-in washroom, an electric kitchen, and all the essentials for extended off-grid living. Whether you’re setting out for a weekend getaway or a months-long road trip, an RCV Camper would be the ultimate fusion of sustainability, innovation, and adventure—perfectly aligning with Rivian’s brand.

Pricing & Options

The interior of the RCV, with Rivian's 2-screen layout.
The interior of the RCV, with Rivian's 2-screen layout.
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Rivian has set the starting price for the RCV 500 at $79,900 and the RCV 700 at $83,900. However, the full list of available options and final pricing with additional features remains unclear. That said, the baseline models appear to be well-equipped.

It’s likely that Rivian will offer fleet-specific additions, such as interior shelving and custom fleet wraps, which could increase the cost. The company has confirmed that the interior shelving is removable, but it’s still uncertain whether this will be an optional add-on or a standard feature in every RCV.

ADAS Features

Rivian is equipping every RCV with Driver+ assistance features, including lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control for highways where Driver+ is available, along with Rivian’s full suite of safety features.

However, the company has not yet confirmed whether full Driver+ autonomy will be available on the RCV. That said, the vehicle’s camera and sensor setup appear similar to what’s found on the R1T and R1S, suggesting it may have the necessary hardware for advanced capabilities in the future.

Rivian's full ADAS feature set on the RCV is comparable to that on the R1T and R1S.
Rivian's full ADAS feature set on the RCV is comparable to that on the R1T and R1S.
Rivian Wave

RCV 900?

The RCV 900 was previously mentioned during Rivian’s early development of its electric commercial van, but it hasn’t been seen or referenced in several years. While Rivian could revive the model, it seems unlikely at this stage.

If the RCV 900 were to return, it would likely feature a longer length and wheelbase, offering increased storage capacity but potentially less range.

For now, we don’t expect to see the RCV 900 make a comeback—but since it once existed on paper, there’s always a chance it could reemerge in the future.

Release Date

Rivian has announced that deliveries will begin in April for its early access fleet customers, with public orders opening soon after.

However, it’s unclear whether public orders will be limited to fleet buyers or if individual customers will also have the opportunity to purchase. The versatility of the RCV opens the door to countless creative uses—whether as a food truck, camper van, or even a mobile stargazing platform—and we’re sure enthusiasts are already dreaming up even more possibilities.

Given Rivian’s focus on commercial customers, we expect fleet orders to take priority, with individual orders rolling out gradually as production scales and supply chains stabilize.

Have a unique vision for the RCV? Share your ideas with us on social media.

Rivian and Volkswagen Provide Additional Details on Joint Venture, Now Totaling $5.8 Billion

By Karan Singh
Rivian Wave

Rivian and Volkswagen released an update to their Joint Venture, which was announced in June of this year. In the original announcement, Volkswagen promised to invest $5 billion in Rivian—$1 billion immediately and another $4 billion over time—for an equally controlled and owned joint venture.

“The partnership with Rivian is the next logical step in strengthening our global competitive and technological position.”

-- Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen

The goals were to help Rivian reduce its cost per vehicle, while also helping Volkswagen with software and zonal control technology. This collaboration presents an incredible opportunity for Rivian, positioning its technology and software as the foundation for future EVs developed through the joint venture. Crucially, Rivian retains its intellectual property rights, opening up a substantial new revenue stream for the company.

JV Update

The JV has been updated with a total deal size of up to $5.8 billion now—which is an addition of another $800 million to the original proposal. Rivian and Volkswagen will send engineers to join the JV, which will be co-headed by Rivian’s Wassym Bensaid and Volkswagen’s Carsten Helbing. Both will take on the title of co-CEO at the JV.

“We’re thrilled to see our technology being integrated in vehicles outside Rivian – this is an important enabler to help accelerate EV adoption.”

-- RJ Scaringe, CEO of Rivian

The primary purpose of the JV is to start working on the electric architecture—that Zonal control—and the software for what Volkswagen calls “next-generation Software Defined Vehicles,” or SDVs. The JV will officially start on November 13th, 2024, with both companies beginning contributions to the JV on that date.

The best part? The JV focuses on more than just one market segment - it includes subcompact cars. That means a mass-market vehicle that’ll be built upon Rivian’s proven tech and software will one day be available - pushed forward by Volkswagen’s mass-market scale.

The JV will be based in Palo Alto, California, as well as some other sites in North America and Europe - for a total of up to four sites. It’ll be a chance for engineers from both companies to get together and figure out how to best leverage what both companies have to offer and build an appealing set of products.

JV Focuses

With the primary focus being on using Rivian’s pre-existing architecture and software stack, the R2 platform is a clear starting point for the JV - one of its key purposes will be to bootstrap the launch of the R2 in early 2026, and then go on to support the R3, and further Volkswagen vehicles sometime in 2027 and 2028.

Scaling Rivian’s technology will be challenging. While Rivian’s tech is modular, flexible, and highly capable, these advanced features come with a high price tag. To make vehicles that are both high-performing and affordable, the joint venture will need to focus on reducing costs without compromising on capability.

Interestingly, the JV also mentions automated driving functions - so we can probably expect Rivian’s Autonomy Platform to be present on these new vehicles as well - alongside a specific focus on OTA updates.

Rivian and Volkswagen have supposedly already built a driveable demonstrator vehicle, a Volkswagen car built to run on Rivian’s hardware and software, which sounds a lot like Scout…

We’re excited to see where this JV goes and how it helps shape Rivian, Rivian’s software platform, and the future of EVs.

A Look at the Features in Rivian’s 2024 Halloween Update

By Karan Singh
Rivian Wave

Halloween is just a day away. Are you ready to sport all of your Rivian’s new Halloween features? Rivian added various features in their annual spooky update with Rivian update 2024.39. This year, Rivian has gone all out, with not one but three Halloween car costumes and various other features.

The car costumes are selectable through the Rivian app when the vehicle is parked - and so are all the other fun features.

Halloween Update

Rivian’s Halloween update this time is the biggest it's ever been. Before we dig into the Car Costumes, let’s take a look at the sprinkling of other spooky features they’ve provided.

New Drive Mode Animations

First up is the drive modes menu. Every drive mode in your vehicle has taken on a spooky look, so pan through your available drive modes while you’re parked to see all the Halloween fun. Look closely because some of the spooky surprises are well hidden. The only mode that doesn’t have a spooky surprise is snow mode.

Camp Mode also got a little something special. The flame of the campfire is lit by some witch’s evil magic and is burning green alongside some pumpkins and crows in the background. And just like last year, pedestrians are zombies - but that’s not all. Motorcyclists and bicyclists take on a new form in the visualization - they’ve come back as headless horsemen.

Rivian has also introduced two additional lock sounds for Halloween, an owl and a crow. While all of the Halloween goodies will go away once the season is over, Rivian has already said that the owl lock sound will come back as a standard lock sound in the future.

There are also two new interior lighting modes, the red Crimson Moon, and the green Foggy Bog. To go with that, there’s a new selection of three songs to play internally, as well as a sound effect board, all done from within the Rivian app.

The best plan is to play some spooky sound effects while your Rivian is parked outside on Halloween night to give some trick-or-treaters a fright!

The Costume Selector in the App
The Costume Selector in the App
Rivian Wave

Knight Rider Car Costume

The Knight Rider costume dresses up Gear Guard Garry as Michael Knight and K.I.T.T.'s super intelligence takes over your car in the classic original TV show style. On Gen 2 vehicles, the lightbar up front will mimic K.I.T.T.’s unique red beam scanner, including the sound effect!

The Knight Rider interior screens
The Knight Rider interior screens
Rivian Wave

Over in the interior, you’ll get three unique displays inside your vehicle. On the driver’s display, you’ll see revs, speed, and a ton of other information, while the main display will tell you all about how ready K.I.T.T. is to tackle the bad guys. Finally, the passengers will have access to the tools K.I.T.T. has access to - everything from energy cannons and radars to Missiles and Turbo Boost.

Back to the Future Car Costume

Back to the Future dresses up Garry as none other than Doc Brown, and you’ll get a super cool set of movie-inspired interfaces on the inside of your vehicle. Gen 2 owners can hit the 88 mph button on their driver’s display and engage in Back to the Future-themed interior and exterior lighting, along with sound effects to match.

The Back to the Future Interior Screens
The Back to the Future Interior Screens
Rivian Wave

The driver’s display has all the information you’ll need to get your flux capacitor up and running, telling you all about the plutonium chamber and power you’ll need to hit 88 mph. The primary display will tell you when you’ve got your destination, what time it is now, and when you originally departed. The passengers get to keep an eye on the flux capacitor, and dial in the destination time!

Trunk or Treat Car Costume

Trunk or Treat has Garry as a scarecrow this year and has eight different sound effects and three color themes. That’s also alongside the option to select the thematic music for the interior of your vehicle.

All three interior screens will be haunted by ghosts and static, and Gen1 vehicle owners will get a green animation on the lightbar. Gen 2 owners will have their lightbar match their selected color.

Video Overviews

Jenna Ezarik over on X put together this awesome recap - so go take a look.

And if that’s not enough, iJustine on YouTube also put together this video review.

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