Rivian has found its first customer outside of Amazon for its commercial van, but the partnership will extend to also include the R1T and R1S. That company is AT&T, who announced today a pilot program to electrify its fleet.
The deal will see AT&T incorporating all of Rivian’s electric vehicles (EVs) into its commercial fleet. The wireless carrier plans to introduce Rivian’s R1T pickup trucks, and R1S SUV into its operations starting in early 2024. The exact number of vehicles and the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Rivian previously has an exclusive deal with Amazon, but is now expanding its customer base with AT&T becoming its first non-Amazon commercial customer. The exclusivity agreement with Amazon ended last month. The decision to partner with Rivian is part of the telecom giant’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.
“We’re excited to purchase Rivian EVs for our fleet. This pilot is another important step in our ongoing efforts toward sustainability, reducing our carbon footprint and embracing a cleaner future for our operations. With advanced connectivity and a vision for a sustainable future, Rivian is setting the standard for the evolving demands of modern transportation,” said Hardmon Williams, SVP, AT&T Connected Solutions.
Along with the vehicles, AT&T also announced it is now Rivian’s exclusive connectivity provider in the U.S. and Canada.
