While the 800 lb. gorilla in the EV space keeps making promises about big trucks, GM BrightDrop is delivering trucks!
FedEx Corp. announced recently that it has received its first shipment of 150 electric delivery vehicles from BrightDrop, the technology startup created by General Motors as part of its initiative to decarbonize last-mile delivery. BrightDrop’s portfolio includes electric vehicles, smart containers, and cloud software designed to reduce congestion with a goal of a more sustainable future.
FedEx had developed plans to transform its entire parcel pickup and delivery fleet to all-electric, zero-tailpipe emissions by 2040, and this development helps them on that journey. This moment also coincides with BrightDrop’s recent commercialization of the Zevo 600 as the fastest vehicle to go to market in GM’s history.
“Since the beginning, the Zevo 600 has been a record-setting vehicle,” said Travis Katz, BrightDrop president and CEO. “Having a long battery range with reliable power is critical to electrifying delivery fleets everywhere. This special delivery highlights our products’ advanced capabilities and our mission to decarbonize deliveries.”
Mitch Jackson, chief sustainability officer at FedEx, was similarly excited. “At FedEx, we have ambitious sustainability goals,” he explains, “and our phased approach to vehicle electrification is a crucial part of our roadmap to achieve carbon neutral global operations. In just under six months, we’ve taken delivery of 150 BrightDrop Zevo 600s for our parcel pickup and delivery fleet. In today’s climate of chip shortages and supply chain issues, that’s no ordinary feat and a true testament to the collaboration between FedEx and BrightDrop.”
You can learn more about GM BrightDrop and their ongoing collaboration with FedEx in the video, below, then let us know what you think about the big electric vans in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Greatest Distance Travelled by an Electric Van
SOURCE | IMAGES: FEDEX.