【1994 Archives】

Amazon994 Archiveson a spending spree.

Last week the online retailer invested in self-driving vehicle startup Aurora. On Friday, it announced it was the main investor in an upcoming all-electric truck and SUV company, Rivian.

Amazon leads a group investing $700 million in the company, which debuted itsR1T pickup and R1S SUV at the LA Auto Show in November.

Amazon wants better delivery and logistics, making the electric technology that gives Rivian vehicles more than 400 miles of range very appealing. In a statement, Jeff Wilke, Amazon CEO of Worldwide Consumer, said, "We’re inspired by Rivian’s vision for the future of electric transportation."

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has called his vehicles the Patagonia of EVs, able to handle snow, mud, rain, and tough roads, but still stylish and premium with space for gear. Prices start at $69,000 for the "electric adventure vehicles," and you can preorder the truck and SUV for a $1,000 deposit.

SEE ALSO: Tesla rival gets cash infusion from Amazon to develop self-driving cars

An Amazon spokesperson said it wasn't giving any additional information beyond Rivian's announcement.

Production of the five-seater truck and seven-passenger SUV is set to begin in 2020 at the company's Illinois factory. It's in something of a race with Tesla, who has been teasing an electric pickup truck that could be unveiled as early as this summer. Tesla is also developing an electric semi cargo truck.

UPDATE: Feb. 15, 2019, 1:59 p.m. PST This story has been updated to include pricing for the Rivian truck and SUV. An original version incorrectly said those numbers weren't available yet.

---

Featured Video For You

---

You have to customize this vehicle to drive one

---

Topics Amazon Electric Vehicles

• Games
• Social Good
• Digital Culture
• Science
• Shopping
• Life
• Tech
• Deals

• The Mismeasure of Media
• Browsing Pinterest is about to get as easy as snapping a pic
• Apple rumored to remove even more buttons from the iPhone
• Trump's 'Easy D' tweet took the internet straight to penis jokes
• A worthless juicer and a Gipper-branded server
• LG Watch Sport, Watch Style review: Android Wear 2.0 swings and misses
• Microsoft Office beta testers will soon get MacBook Pro Touch Bar support
• HoloLens app mixes AR and VR to put a room on the top of Mt. Fuji
• How to Squeeze the Most Out of Your iPhone's Battery
• E3, gaming's biggest annual trade show, is now a public event

• Twitter is on fire with how much 'Hereditary' freaked people out
• White House says it will release government data to fuel AI research
• Uber is hard at work at offering more than one mode of transportation
• Oppo R15 Pro review: A good phablet that's just a bit too pricey
• Instagram update lets you re
• Trump to appeal ruling prohibiting him from blocking people on Twitter
• 'Hereditary' heart rate challenge proves no one is ready
• Woman says poop from a passing plane fell onto her face and gave her pink eye
• 3Doodler Create+ review: A 3D
• Everything Apple announced at WWDC 2018

• Hidden Siri Commands and Unusual Responses
• 'Rocket League' is really growing this year
• The Senstone smart voice
• Everyone got all hyped up about this fried chicken pizza and apparently, it sucks
• Best Hydro Flask deal: Save $10 on a 24
• How #DeleteUber serves as a stark warning for all startups
• 'Arrow' star David Ramsey says Diggle is a changed man post
• Got puggle? World blessed with a brand new magical echidna baby
• How to Squeeze the Most Out of Your iPhone's Battery
• How AI is locating an endangered bird species missing for over a decade

• Best Sony headphones deal: Over $100 off Sony XM5 headphones
• How computer hacking is becoming Russia’s weapon of choice
• Facebook's Safety Check now lets you offer help during a crisis
• Your dates are definitely judging you for your crappy old phone
• Episode 4: The Wave of the Future
• 'Counter
• Supplier that built the Note7's explosion
• How computer hacking is becoming Russia’s weapon of choice
• Stablecoin bill advances in U.S. Senate as Trump critics call to end his crypto dealings
• Gameband smartwatch is made for gamers with Atari classics built