Amazon is piloting a brand new four-wheel, pedal-assist electrical supply car constructed by Also, a spin-off from electric-truck maker Rivian, in a bid to make metropolis logistics cleaner and extra environment friendly. The car—known as the TM-Q—combines the soundness and cargo capability of a small van with the compact footprint of an e-bike. Amazon plans to deploy the TM-Q in a number of main cities as a part of its broader technique to decarbonize last-mile supply.
The TM-Q goals to unravel one of many hardest challenges in city logistics: shifting heavy masses rapidly by way of crowded metropolis facilities the place vans are inefficient and infrequently unwelcome. Designed to slide by way of visitors and park in tight areas, the car lets couriers pedal with electric assist or swap to full battery energy on steep hills. The TM-Q additionally cuts down on the emissions and noise which have made conventional vans a goal of latest low-emission-zone regulations throughout Europe and the United States.
The undertaking marks the primary large-scale deployment of pedal-assist “micro-vans” by a worldwide logistics firm—a brand new center floor between cargo bikes and supply vans.
Rivian’s Micromobility Spin-off
Additionally started as an inner Rivian undertaking to discover how the corporate’s EV experience might lengthen into micromobility. It grew to become an impartial firm in early 2025 with US $105 million in Collection A funding from Eclipse Ventures. Rivian retains a minority stake, and founder RJ Scaringe sits on Additionally’s board.
“The whole lot we realized from the Electric Delivery Van (EDV) program was poured into this undertaking,” Scaringe mentioned on the launch occasion in Oakland, Calif. That program permits Amazon to handle each Rivian’s electrical vans and Additionally’s new quads by way of a shared fleet-management system—a logistical benefit for a corporation already working greater than 25,000 Rivian EDVs worldwide.
All of Additionally’s {hardware} and software program are constructed in-house, utilizing classes from Rivian’s car structure however with a separate supply chain, management workforce, and expertise stack.
The TM-Q’s pedal-by-wire powertrain merges human enter with the identical sort of safety-tested management logic present in full-size electrical automobiles—simply scaled down for a motorcycle. Torque and cadence sensors on the crank measure how arduous and how briskly the rider pedals. These indicators feed a controller that, inside milliseconds, determines how a lot electric power so as to add from the rear-hub motor. The tougher the rider pushes, the extra help the system supplies—as much as legally outlined limits (250 watts steady within the EU and better within the U.S.).
“We’re making use of car-level engineering to machines that transfer by way of metropolis bike lanes.” –Chris Yu, Additionally
As a result of the drivetrain is absolutely digital, Can also tune the help ratio by way of software program updates—a follow borrowed from Rivian’s EV tuning. The system additionally applies regenerative braking, recovering small quantities of power to recharge the battery when slowing or stopping.
Energy comes from a modular, swappable lithium-ion pack, mild sufficient to be carried by hand. Normal packs supply roughly 538 watt-hours for up to112 kilometers (70 miles) of vary, whereas bigger 808 Wh packs lengthen that to 160 km (100 miles). Each variations assist regenerative braking, which provides about 25 p.c to efficient vary. Charging makes use of USB-C PD 3.1—the newest main model of the USB Power Delivery customary. The up to date charging modality permits for sooner, extra environment friendly power switch (on this case, at as much as 240 W), with communication between the charger and the battery meant to stop points reminiscent of overheating and thermal runaway that set off fires. Additionally says the ability packs are designed for bidirectional power circulate, which means they’ll double as moveable energy banks.
Is also growing battery-dock swap stations so couriers can exchange depleted packs in minutes as a substitute of ready for recharging—key to preserving the e-bikes in movement throughout multi-shift operations.
The TM-Q features a lockable cargo enclosure, logistics and charging-management software program, and a 12.7-centimeter (5-inch) touchscreen for navigation and diagnostics. Amazon plans to service the quads by way of its community of greater than 70 micromobility hubs throughout North America and Europe.
Challenges in Scaling Pedal-Help Quads
4-wheeled pedal-assist automobiles have been tried earlier than, however scaling them has confirmed troublesome. Within the European Union, pedal-assist quads beneath 250 watts typically qualify as bicycles, however in america, they fall right into a grey zone between e-bikes and lightweight electric vehicles. Every state units completely different pace and energy limits, complicating large-scale deployment.
Additionally’s method is to adapt every regional configuration to suit native micromobility legal guidelines. The corporate’s two foremost platforms illustrate this flexibility: the TM-Q, the quad constructed to supply close to–cargo van capability however optimized for bike-lane compliance, and the two-wheeled TM-B, a consumer-focused pedal-assist e-bike with a prime assisted pace of 45 km/h (28 mph). The TM-B has open seating for passengers or groceries and will be configured with different physique types constructed on the identical chassis.
The corporate says each the TM-Q and TM-B are examined to automotive-grade reliability and safety standards, exceeding conventional e-bike sturdiness benchmarks. Frames and electrical methods endure vibration, influence, and water-resistance testing equal to that used to certify full-size EVs.
Additionally president Chris Yu says the corporate is not only constructing bikes with motors. “We’re making use of car-level engineering to machines that transfer by way of metropolis bike lanes.”
The Amazon–Additionally partnership displays a broader trade shift towards “right-sizing” supply fleets—deploying the smallest, most effective car for every route. Cities together with London, New York, and Paris are tightening restrictions on van entry and idling, making compact electrical automobiles not simply environmentally useful but additionally regulatory requirements.
Additionally claims its TM collection automobiles are 10 to 50 instances as energy-efficient as native automobile or SUV journeys, supporting cities’ emissions-reduction objectives with out requiring new highway infrastructure.
Preliminary manufacturing of the TM-Q is scheduled for early 2026, with remaining meeting in Taiwan, dwelling to a lot of the world’s high-end e-bike manufacturing. A number of key elements, together with frames and subassemblies, are produced in america, says Additionally.
If the TM-Q delivers on its promise, metropolis streets might quickly commerce 4 tons of metal for 4 wheels and a set of pedals—reshaping last-mile supply one bike lane at a time.
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