Photo: General Motors
Following the Rivian x Amazon collaboration, General Motors x FedEx Express is now a thing. The delivery van in the photo gallery is the first product of the BrightDrop commercial business unit, which is described by GM as “an integrated ecosystem of electric products, software, and services.”
Powered by the Ultium lithium-ion battery system that General Motors utilizes in the Hummer EV - which is due to go on sale this fall - the delivery van promises up to 250 miles (402 kilometers) on a charge and a peak rate of up to 170 miles per hour at 120 kW. With over 600 cubic feet (17 cubic meters) of cargo area and a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg), the newcomer is perfect for parcel delivery and courier services.
GM also makes a case for segment-leading safety features in the EV600, which is the less-than-inspiring name of the electric van. AEB and Lane Departure Warning are only two of the highlights, and available features include Rear Cross Traffic Braking. The cargo area of the e-van is secured by motion sensors, the driver is treated to a 13.4-inch infotainment screen, and the auto-open cargo bulkhead door contributes to optimizing efficiency.
According to General Motors, the first vehicles will be delivered by the end of this year. After FedEx Express, the BrightDrop commercial business unit expects to make the EV600 available to more customers in early 2022.
“BrightDrop offers a smarter way to deliver goods and services,” declared chairman and chief executive officer Mary Teresa Barra. “We are building on our significant expertise in electrification, mobility applications, telematics, and fleet management, with a new one-stop-shop solution for commercial customers to move goods in a better, more sustainable way.”
I chuckled a bit about the “significant expertise in electrification” part for a pretty good reason, and that is the rather bland Chevrolet Bolt EV. General Motors doesn’t hold a candle to Tesla and even Ford at the present moment, and GM also has a history of pulling the plug on potentially trailblazing projects such as the EV1 coupe produced from 1996 to 1999.
GM also makes a case for segment-leading safety features in the EV600, which is the less-than-inspiring name of the electric van. AEB and Lane Departure Warning are only two of the highlights, and available features include Rear Cross Traffic Braking. The cargo area of the e-van is secured by motion sensors, the driver is treated to a 13.4-inch infotainment screen, and the auto-open cargo bulkhead door contributes to optimizing efficiency.
According to General Motors, the first vehicles will be delivered by the end of this year. After FedEx Express, the BrightDrop commercial business unit expects to make the EV600 available to more customers in early 2022.
“BrightDrop offers a smarter way to deliver goods and services,” declared chairman and chief executive officer Mary Teresa Barra. “We are building on our significant expertise in electrification, mobility applications, telematics, and fleet management, with a new one-stop-shop solution for commercial customers to move goods in a better, more sustainable way.”
I chuckled a bit about the “significant expertise in electrification” part for a pretty good reason, and that is the rather bland Chevrolet Bolt EV. General Motors doesn’t hold a candle to Tesla and even Ford at the present moment, and GM also has a history of pulling the plug on potentially trailblazing projects such as the EV1 coupe produced from 1996 to 1999.
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