The initial 5 examples of the BrightDrop EV600 all-electric commercial van have been delivered to its first customer, FedEx. General Motors says the EV600 is the fastest built vehicle from concept to market in its history. It also marks an important step toward FedEx’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2040.
“The delivery of the first BrightDrop EV600s is a historic moment, born out of a spirit of collaboration between two leading American companies,” said Mitch Jackson, Chief Sustainability Officer of FedEx. “At FedEx, transforming our pickup and delivery fleet to electric vehicles is integral to achieving our ambitious sustainability goals announced earlier this year. This collaborative effort shows how businesses can take action to help usher in a lower-emissions future for all.”
FedEx aims to operate an all-electric, zero-emissions pickup and delivery fleet by 2040. To achieve that, it will make 50 percent of its vehicle purchases make up of electric vehicles by 2025 before increasing it to 100 percent in 2030. Its collaboration with BrightDrop has allowed for this goal to be achievable, especially with the backing of General Motors.
As e-commerce continues to grow, BrightDrop is thrilled to partner with FedEx in our mission to dramatically reduce vehicle emissions from delivery and deliver a brighter future for all of us,” said Travis Katz, President, and CEO of BrightDrop. FedEx has ambitious sustainability goals, and the speed with which we brought the first BrightDrop electric vehicles to market shows how the private sector can innovate and help bring solutions for some of our biggest climate- and emissions-related challenges.”
The first five EV600 commercial vans were delivered at the FedEx Express facility in Inglewood, California, which will also be the first to house and operate them. To support the new EVs, FedEx is building a charging infrastructure across its network. It has already installed 500 charging stations in California and is working with utility companies to help evaluate and determine the required capacity for electrical grids to support a large charging infrastructure. Jackson noted that FedEx is investing in sustainable solutions to continue connecting the world in a more responsible and resourceful way. It will work together with companies like BrightDrop plus the public and private sectors to make their operations as sustainable as possible.
This isn’t the first time that FedEx was the first to operate an electrified vehicle in its fleet. In 1994, it was also the first to use an electric vehicle in its fleet, which used an acid battery. The company was also the first to use hybrid vehicles when it added them to its operations in 2003. Adding the BrightDrop EV600 is just the latest step for the company’s move toward an all-electric vehicle fleet.
The BrightDrop EV600 is the first commercial from the startup brand. Built off General Motors’ Ultium suite, it will share its battery packs and electric motors with vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Silverado E, and the GMC Sierra Denali Electric. On a single charge, the EV600 can travel up to 250 miles. A second van called the EV410 will join the lineup as a compact offering slotting below the EV600. BrightDrop also offers additional delivery solutions like the EP1 palette that can be loaded onto vans and used to handle up to 25 percent more packages per day.
