Morgan Olson Chooses Rivian Skateboard For Electrical Supply Vans

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Stepvans are in every single place, however hardly anyone notices them. They ship stuff to producers, shops, and prospects all throughout North America. Their cargo might be potato chips or laptop chips, and paint to printed circuit boards. Morgan Olson, a division of JP Poindexter & Co, has been making step vans since 1945. Throughout that point, they’ve realized how one can outfit these packing containers on wheels to suit the wants of hundreds of shoppers. Now they’ve been chosen to fabricate battery electrical supply vans for Canada Put up. Rivian will provide the platform for these vans.

Morgan Olson already manufactures the C250 step van, which was chosen by Canada Put up final yr. Now that truck will probably be transformed to a battery electrical automobile that makes use of the skateboard Rivian created for the supply vans it’s manufacturing for Amazon.

On the annual NTEA Work Truck Week in Indianapolis final week, Morgan Olson COO Joe Thompson advised FleetOwner the JB Poindexter group sees Rivian as the reply to the necessity for light-duty business automobiles. “We’ve come to the conclusion that Rivian produces the very best, most dependable, most examined EV chassis out there,” he stated.

The choice to affect the C250 was made earlier than deciding what chassis to place beneath it, stated Mark Hope, president of EAVX, the innovation hub of JB Poindexter. Nonetheless, “the problem with that scale and that measurement of auto is getting the appropriate chassis companion. Rivian is that chassis companion. It’s probably the most full chassis out there in that class.”

The JB Poindexter partnership with Rivian happened after a go to by John Poindexter and different firm leaders to the Rivian manufacturing facility in Regular, Illinois. Poindexter stated his group thought the ability was “spectacular.” He and different JBPCO leaders established relationships with Rivian, which led to the partnership. “This announcement is basically the end result and doubtlessly step one of a really sturdy partnership,” Tom Solomon, senior director of B2B enterprise improvement for Rivian, advised FleetOwner. “This represents the inspiration.”

The Morgan Olson C250e will characteristic the identical platform because the Rivian business van however within the type of a stripped chassis, or a “skateboard,” as Solomon known as it — and it’s additionally an organization milestone. “The primary non-Rivian van software for that skateboard is that this partnership with Morgan Olson and the JB Poindexter household of firms,” Solomon stated.

As a result of the C250e is designed for the Canadian postal service, Rivian should make just a few design modifications to the chassis to accommodate a right-hand drive configuration. However Solomon stated basically the chassis for the C250e is “primarily the off-the-shelf platform,” with few alterations to the manufacturing facility or extra inner funding.

Whereas it has a Morgan Olson physique, the C250e will probably be filled with Rivian know-how, akin to Rivian’s person interface, person expertise, and software program stack, Solomon stated. It might additionally characteristic Rivian’s security options, akin to automated emergency braking, driver help options, and a 360-degree digital camera system. The C250e will probably be fitted with a 100 kWh lithium-ion-phosphate (LFP) battery pack.

The Starting Of A Stunning Relationship For Rivian

The partnership might doubtlessly deliver Rivian-based supply automobiles to business fleets all throughout North America, now that Amazon’s unique rights to the Rivian business van platform ended final November. With the exclusivity interval over, Rivian needs to make its presence within the fleet house recognized. “Partnerships like this are foundational to it,” Solomon stated.

There’s a demand for smaller EVs within the business automobile house, Hope stated, and Rivian was a “match” for the C250e. However JBPCO leaders stated that is simply the primary innovation of many with the EV producer. “We count on to place [the Rivian chassis] beneath numerous our bodies or develop prototypes with particular person prospects who will probably be within the mixture of physique know-how,” Poindexter stated.

Thompson added that with the Morgan Olson model, extra functions that will go well with a Rivian-powered Morgan Olson physique could be smaller grocery supply and different Class 2B functions with a GVWR of 8,510 to 10,000 lb.

JB Poindexter is already trying to the longer term and exploring how one can use the brand new partnership to proceed innovation within the business automobile house. Jacob Larimore, senior director of enterprise improvement at EAVX, stated there have already been preliminary conversations with Rivian about how far their partnership can go and what it might probably grow to be. “What you’re seeing [with the C250e] is a place to begin,” Larimore advised FleetOwner. “We’re hopeful that it’ll proceed to evolve.”

Rivian Partnering With AT&T

Rivian had a troublesome yr in 2023. Gross sales of its R1T had been decrease than anticipated and manufacturing of the brand new R1S SUV didn’t get began till late final yr. It has introduced layoffs and only recently stated it’s placing its plans to construct a brand new manufacturing unit in Georgia on maintain.

Then final week, it introduced not one however three new electrical automobiles designed to promote for $45,000 or much less. Has Rivian turned a nook? The indicators are there that issues are slowly turning round for the corporate. Along with the brand new partnership with Morgan Olson and JB Poindexter, AT&T may even start testing Rivian electrical vans and vans in its business automobile fleet in 2024. AT&T needs to guage how these automobiles can enhance security, cut back prices, and lower its carbon footprint.

AT&T has made a dedication to attain carbon neutrality by 2035. Its technique consists of optimizing routes, switching to hybrids and EVs, and lowering the general measurement of its fleet. AT&T additionally makes use of AI to make its fleet extra environment friendly, serving to it drive 20% shorter routes this yr, and lowering emissions by 51 million kilos.

“We’re excited to buy Rivian EVs for our fleet,” stated Hardmon Williams, senior vice chairman at AT&T Related Options. “This pilot is one other essential step in our ongoing efforts towards sustainability, lowering our carbon footprint, and embracing a cleaner future for our operations. With superior connectivity and a imaginative and prescient for a sustainable future, Rivian is setting the usual for the evolving calls for of contemporary transportation.”

AT&T is the unique supplier of connectivity to Rivian automobiles within the U.S. and Canada, enabling a wiser, safer, and extra linked driving expertise. With AT&T connectivity, Rivian makes use of over-the-air software program updates to persistently enhance its automobiles with new options that enhance the driving expertise for its prospects.

“We couldn’t be happier to collaborate with AT&T as we work collectively to assist lower emissions and shield the environment,” stated Dagan Mishoulam, vice chairman of technique and fleet gross sales at Rivian. “Round 1 / 4 of CO2 emitted within the transportation sector within the U.S. comes from business vans, so it’s crucial we do all we will as quickly as attainable to assist lower emissions. Our category-defining automobiles supply a number of the most superior know-how within the sector and are frequently improved by way of over-the-air updates. We’re very a lot wanting ahead to increasing our relationship with AT&T to assist them obtain their local weather targets.”

The Takeaway

No one is saying it out loud, however Rivian might grow to be a competitor to GM’s BrightDrop division, which intends to fabricate battery electrical supply automobiles in Canada. The BrightDrop vans look quite a bit just like the vans Morgan Olson produces, however a field is only a field. It’s arduous to make one field look a lot completely different from another person’s field.

There was a touch in 2023 that Rivian is likely to be skating towards the sting of chapter. It nonetheless is dropping some huge cash because it struggles to ramp up manufacturing. However issues don’t seem fairly so gloomy for the corporate now that it’s increasing its business automobile enterprise and including extra reasonably priced choices to its passenger automotive and truck choices.

Business prospects are discovering electrical automobiles can save them cash in decreased gas and working prices — elements that the majority particular person drivers care little about. The truth that EVs don’t use an inner combustion engine that pumps air pollution into the air all day on daily basis is a plus, too. One can solely marvel why the U.S. Postal Service selected a navy automobile producer to construct its next-generation supply vans as a substitute of an organization like Morgan Olson, which really is aware of a factor or two about making supply automobiles.