Amazon is expanding its electric vehicle fleet with heavy-duty trucks from Swedish startup Einride, broadening a transportation strategy that already includes high-profile partnerships with Rivian and Mercedes-Benz, according to CNBC News.

The move signals Amazon's increasingly diversified approach to decarbonizing what may be the world's most complex private logistics operation. Rather than betting on a single manufacturer, the company is assembling a portfolio of EV suppliers — a hedge against both technological uncertainty and supply chain vulnerabilities that have plagued the automotive industry.

Einride Joins the Fleet

Einride, founded in 2016, specializes in autonomous electric freight vehicles and has positioned itself as a European alternative to American EV startups. The company's trucks have been deployed in limited commercial operations across Sweden and Germany, though details about the scale of Amazon's commitment remain undisclosed.

Amazon has not announced how many Einride vehicles it plans to deploy or over what timeframe. The company's existing arrangement with Rivian — in which Amazon ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans — has proceeded more slowly than initially projected, with roughly 10,000 vehicles delivered as of early 2025.

The Einride deal appears focused on heavy-duty freight operations rather than last-mile delivery, a different segment from the Rivian partnership. Amazon's logistics network spans everything from long-haul trucking between fulfillment centers to neighborhood delivery routes, and the company has indicated it will need multiple vehicle types to electrify across that spectrum.

Spreading Climate Bets

Amazon's multi-vendor strategy reflects both ambition and caution. The company has committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and making 50% of shipments net-zero carbon by 2030 — targets that require transforming a delivery fleet that logs billions of miles annually.

But the electric truck market remains immature. Battery technology for heavy-duty applications lags behind passenger vehicles, charging infrastructure is sparse outside major corridors, and manufacturers face persistent production bottlenecks. By contracting with Einride, Rivian, and Mercedes simultaneously, Amazon insulates itself from any single partner's delays or technical failures.

The approach also gives Amazon leverage. Multiple suppliers compete for expanded orders, and the company can shift volume based on performance — a familiar tactic from its consumer electronics and cloud infrastructure businesses.

Rivian's Uncertain Road

The Einride announcement comes as Rivian navigates financial headwinds. The California-based EV maker has struggled to scale production profitably, and Amazon remains its largest customer by far. Any sign that Amazon is diluting its commitment could rattle investors already concerned about Rivian's cash burn rate.

Rivian delivered its first Amazon vans in 2022, but production has ramped more gradually than either party anticipated. The company has cited supply chain constraints and the complexity of manufacturing at scale. Amazon, for its part, has publicly supported Rivian while quietly exploring alternatives.

The Mercedes partnership, announced in 2023, focuses on electric versions of the Sprinter van — a workhorse of commercial fleets worldwide. Those vehicles target a different use case than Rivian's custom-designed delivery vans, but the overlap is unmistakable.

The Electrification Challenge

Electrifying freight poses challenges that dwarf those of passenger EVs. Heavy-duty trucks require massive batteries, which add weight and reduce payload capacity. Charging a fleet of commercial vehicles demands electrical infrastructure that doesn't exist at most depots and warehouses. And total cost of ownership — the metric that drives fleet purchasing decisions — remains unfavorable in many scenarios.

Amazon has invested in charging infrastructure at its facilities and negotiated electricity rates to improve the economics. The company has also benefited from federal incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides tax credits for commercial EV purchases.

Still, the timeline is aggressive. Replacing hundreds of thousands of diesel trucks and vans within a decade would be unprecedented, and Amazon has acknowledged that its 2030 targets may require purchasing carbon offsets if vehicle deployment lags.

What Einride Brings

Einride's pitch centers on autonomous technology as much as electrification. The company's trucks are designed to operate without drivers in controlled environments — freight yards, port terminals, and dedicated routes between warehouses.

Amazon has explored autonomous delivery for years, testing sidewalk robots and investing in self-driving startups. Einride's approach could complement those efforts, particularly for repetitive middle-mile routes where human drivers are expensive and hard to recruit.

Whether Amazon will deploy Einride's autonomous features immediately or start with human-operated electric trucks remains unclear. Regulatory approval for driverless commercial vehicles is fragmented across states, and labor considerations loom large for a company already scrutinized over warehouse working conditions.

The Bigger Picture

Amazon's electrification push is part of a broader corporate sustainability effort launched in 2019 alongside its Climate Pledge initiative. The company has faced criticism from environmental groups and its own employees over the carbon intensity of its operations, particularly the rapid delivery expectations that drive inefficient routing and excess packaging.

Transportation represents the largest share of Amazon's carbon footprint. The company reported total emissions of 71.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2024, with logistics accounting for roughly 40% of that figure.

Electrifying the fleet is the most visible element of Amazon's climate strategy, but it also touches energy procurement, building efficiency, and packaging redesign. The company has committed to powering operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025 and claims to be the world's largest corporate purchaser of renewable electricity.

Critics note that Amazon's emissions have grown in absolute terms even as intensity metrics improve — a consequence of relentless expansion. The Einride partnership, like the Rivian and Mercedes deals before it, is as much about managing reputational risk as environmental impact.

For now, Amazon appears committed to the diversified approach: multiple partners, multiple vehicle types, and a timeline that balances ambition with the messy realities of transforming global logistics. Whether that strategy delivers on its climate promises will depend on execution at a scale the EV industry has never attempted.