UPS, Amazon.com Inc, and other e-commerce delivery companies are both creating and shaping the emerging market for electric vans and trucks. Economics and competitive advantages created by data will drive the market for electric commercial vehicles. Demand for electric commercial vehicles is accelerating in part because battery range, long a concern for fleets, has improved dramatically, while battery costs have fallen. UPS has ordered 10,000 vans from UK startup Arrival Ltd - the majority for the U.S. market - in which UPS also owns a minority stake. Arrival is working on self-driving technology, which is one reason why UPS is supporting the company, UPS’s Phillippi said.

That boosted the range of Chanje’s vehicles to 150 miles from 100 miles. Its 2021 model should have a range of 200 miles, Hansel said, making it capable of handling 90% of U.S. last-mile delivery routes - the “last-mile” of e-commerce where drivers drop off packages at individual consumers’ doors is typically the most expensive.