🚐 #VanLife: Fleet Vans, EVs, and the Future of Business on Wheels

February 10, 2025

The Gist

Fleet vans are the perfect EV test subjects—most spend half their lives parked anyway. Rivian just opened its electric van sales to any business (sorry, #VanLife crowd), while Renault and Mercedes are rolling out new electric workhorses. The catch? Charging infrastructure is still a mess, and public fast charging ain’t cheap. Dealers who help fleets electrify now can lock in long-term sales, service, and software revenue. This isn’t an overnight EV revolution, but it’s a clear shift. Ignore it, and you might miss the future rolling past—in near silence.

#VanLife: Fleet Vans, EVs, and the Future of Business on Wheels

giphy

Why electric fleet vans are about to change everything (whether we like it or not).

Where Better to Test New Tech Than a Business Model Built on Sitting Still?

Fleet vehicles are the ultimate guinea pigs for cutting-edge automotive tech. Why? Because they spend a good chunk of their lives parked—waiting at depots, sitting at charging stations, or just idling between runs. And if there’s any segment of the industry where a vehicle needs to be plugged in for hours on end, it’s this one.

This makes electric fleet vans the perfect low-risk proving ground for EV adoption. Unlike personal vehicles, which live unpredictable lives full of spontaneous road trips and bad parking jobs, fleet vans have set routes, predictable downtimes, and managers obsessed with efficiency—a dream scenario for battery-powered vehicles.

And automakers are catching on.

Electric Vans Are No Longer Just for Amazon

Rivian’s exclusive handshake deal with Amazon is over, and they’re now open for business with any fleet that can cut a check. But don’t get too excited, #VanLife dreamers—these bad boys are still strictly for commercial use.

  • RCV 500 starts at $79,900

  • RCV 700 starts at $83,900

  • Fleet size? Doesn’t matter—buy one or buy a thousand.

Rivian’s move makes sense, given that Amazon only bought 20% of the 100,000 vans it originally committed to in 2019. Now Rivian is free to peddle its electric haulers to the likes of AT&T and anyone else with delivery logistics to consider.

Does this make Rivian’s business model sustainable?

Let’s just say, “better than before.”

Rivian’s vans are more profitable than its flashy R1T and R1S models, and they’re bundling software subscriptions into the mix. That’s right—fleet managers won’t just be buying the vans; they’ll be paying Rivian for the privilege of knowing where their own vans are at all times.

Renault and Mercedes Join the Fray

Over in Europe, Renault is playing the nostalgia card, reviving old-school nameplates like the Estafette and Goelette—except this time, they’re all electric. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz is proving that EV work vans don’t have to be a compromise. The eSprinter offers:

  • 134 to 201 horsepower (depending on the trim)

  • 295 lb-ft of torque

  • A practical work setup for urban deliveries, assuming you can charge it at your depot instead of getting gouged at public chargers.

Speaking of which...

The Fleet EV Elephant in the Room: Infrastructure

It’s all well and good to talk about electrifying fleets, but where are all these vans going to charge? Spoiler alert: Not at your average gas station.

Fleet Electrification Hurdles

  • Charging costs – A full charge on a public fast charger can run north of $60, which isn’t exactly budget-friendly.

  • Infrastructure readiness – Many businesses simply aren’t equipped with the charging capacity needed for an all-electric fleet.

  • Vehicle range concerns – Long-haul fleets? Not there yet. City-focused deliveries? Much more feasible.

Fleet operators who invest in private charging infrastructure will get the best bang for their buck. But if they’re relying on the current public charging network, they might find themselves in a logistical nightmare.

The Big Picture: What It Means for Dealers

Fleet sales are about to get interesting. Here’s what dealers need to know:

  • Fleet EVs = Sticky Revenue – These aren’t one-and-done sales. Dealers who help businesses electrify their fleets can create long-term service and subscription revenue.

  • Upsell on Infrastructure – Smart dealers will help clients navigate the charging dilemma by partnering with charging providers and offering install solutions.

  • B2B Focus Expanding – Rivian’s shift from an Amazon-exclusive deal to a broader market is a sign that the commercial EV space is no longer just for the FedExs and UPSs of the world.

So, is this the beginning of an all-electric fleet revolution?

Meh, Sort of? It’s more like a hesitant first step—one that depends entirely on how quickly infrastructure can catch up.

For now, electric fleet vans are making their mark in urban delivery, but long-haul applications still have a way to go. That said, any dealer looking at 2025’s trends should keep an eye on this space. Because if the market shifts, the ones left behind will be the ones who didn’t take it seriously soon enough.

Sources:

Sign up for more!

Reply

or to participate.