GM Launches BrightDrop Electric Delivery Vehicles
An electric van with 250 miles possible range.
American automotive giant General Motors has just announced a new business unit, BrightDrop, which will offer an ecosystem of electric first-to-last-mile vehicles, software and services to empower delivery and logistics companies to move goods more efficiently.
These BrightDrop solutions are designed to help courier and delivery businesses lower costs, maximize productivity, improve employee safety and freight security, and support overall sustainability efforts.
Delivery company FedEx Express will be the first customer for BrightDrop’s electric pallet called the EP1. This will be followed by 500 units of the battery-powered EV600 cargo van.
More information on this new General Motors electric powered delivery van can be found in www.gm.com
Features and benefits include:
- Built-in electric hub motors with adjustable speed up to 3 mph depending on operator’s walking pace.
- Maneuverable in tight spaces.
- Carries and secures approximately 23 total cubic feet of cargo.
- Payload capacity of 200 pounds.
- Adjustable shelving organizes contents.
- Lockable cabinet doors allow for secure, remote access to contents.
BrightDrop EV600 – BrightDrop’s second product to market will be the EV600 which is an electric light commercial vehicle purpose-built for the delivery of goods and services over long ranges. It will combine zero-emissions driving with a range of advanced safety and convenience features more common in consumer electric vehicles. EV600 features and benefits include:
- Powered by the Ultium battery system, the EV600 is targeted to have an estimated range of up to 250 miles on a full charge 1.
- Peak charge rate of up to 170 miles of EV range per hour via 120kW DC fast charging.
- Over 600 cubic feet of cargo area.
- Available at a GVWR of less than 10,000 pounds.
- Segment leading safety features
- Standard safety features2 include: Front and Rear Park Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Following Distance Indicator, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, IntelliBeam automatic high beams and HD Rear Vision Camera.
- Additional available safety and driver assistance features include: Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Blind Zone Steering Assist, Reverse Automatic Braking, HD Surround Vision, Rear Pedestrian Alert, Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, among others.
- Cargo area security system with motion sensors to help keep cargo secure.
- A 13.4-inch-diagonal, full-color infotainment screen.
- Front sliding pocket doors, wide cabin walkways and a large auto-open cargo bulkhead door all contribute to optimize driver efficiency.
Early customer interest in the EV600 has been strong, with the first vehicles to be delivered by the end of this year. BrightDrop expects to make the EV600s available to more customers to order starting in early 2022.
In 2016, delivery giant DHL produced their very own pure EV delivery vans (see picture above) after getting no response from VW Group to produce emission free vans for them. More than 1,000 units are already running in Germany since. The Mercedes eSprinter battery powered vans (see picture below) have been running since July 2018, but with limited range and this will soon be extended.
Lets not forget the Peugeot e-Expert which has won ‘Van of the Year’ and ‘Electric Van of the Year’ awards at the What Van? Awards 2021. Sold with a choice of 50kWh and 75kWh battery packs, offering ranges of 143 miles and 205 miles respectively on the WLTP cycle, with the ability to charge to 80% within 30 minutes, it will soon challenge BrightDrop’s driving range with a larger battery pack.
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