Amazon orders 1,800 Mercedes electric vans for Europe deliveries

Amazon.com Inc. is buying 1,800 electric delivery vans from Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, the retailer’s biggest commitment to date to cut the carbon footprint of its delivery operations in Europe.

The deal, for the German automaker’s eSprinter and eVito models, will be complete by the end of the year, Amazon said in a statement on Friday. It comes two years after Amazon agreed to buy 20,000 conventionally fueled Mercedes Sprinter vans to help build its package delivery operations in the US.

Amazon, which is increasingly delivering shipments with its own staff or contractors instead of relying on major carriers, last year announced a deal to buy 100,000 custom-built electric vans made by Rivian Automotive Inc.