Video: Amazon orders 100,000 electric delivery vehicles

Amazon has ordered 100,000 fully-electric delivery vehicles, the largest order ever, as part of a new sustainability commitment.

The Climate Pledge, a commitment to meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early, commits to net zero carbon by 2040 and 100% renewable energy by 2030. Amazon invested $440 million in Rivian, which will accelerate the production of electric vehicles critical to reducing emissions.

Amazon plans to have 10,000 of the new electric vehicles on the road as early as 2022, and all 100,000 by 2030, saving four million metric tonnes of carbon per year by 2030.

“We’re doing being in the middle of the herd on this issue – we’ve decided to use our size and scale to make a difference,” Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos says.

By joining The Climate Pledge, companies agree to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions on a regular basis, implement decarbonisation strategies in line with the Paris Agreement through real business changes and innovations, and neutralise any remaining emissions.

Two years ago, Amazon made a long-term commitment to power its global infrastructure with 100% renewable energy. It has launched 15 utility-scale wind and solar renewable energy projects that will generate over 1300 MW of renewable capacity and deliver more than 3.8 million MWh of clean energy annually.

Amazon has also installed more than 50 solar rooftops on fulfillment centres and sort centres around the globe that generate 98MW of renewable capacity and deliver 130,000 MWh of clean energy annually.