GM’s BrightDrop Starts EV600 Production And Unveils Smaller EV410 For Verizon

GM’s BrightDrop division has finished building the first production examples of its EV600 electric delivery van while also announcing a new deal with Verizon.

The BrightDrop EV600 uses GM’s Ultium battery platform, took just 20 months to come to life and will initially be used by FedEx. General Motors says fleet managers can expect yearly savings of $7,000 compared to a similar diesel-powered delivery van.

Read Also: GM Taps German Supplier To Start Building Its EV600 Electric Van

BrightDrop EV410

“Getting our first electric vehicles on the streets in record time before another peak holiday shipping season is the best gift we could receive this year, especially when we consider the supply chain headwinds the world is facing right now,” BrightDrop president and chief executive Travis Katz said in a statement. “This is a strong statement to the market of how our unique operations setup, which marries the cutting-edge innovation, agility and focus of a technology startup with the scale and manufacturing might of a major automaker, can deliver real value to both customers and the planet.”

The GM company has also just unveiled the new EV410, which is essentially a smaller version of the EV600. It is just under 20 feet long but still boasts 400 cubic feet of cargo space. The EV410 has an estimated range of up to 250 miles (402 km) on a full charge and comes standard with safety features including 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 a HD Rear Vision Camera.

Verizon will be the first customer of the EV410, with production set to kick off at the company’s CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Canada in 2023.

“Mainstream EV adoption by businesses will require the largest fleet operators to work together with innovators like BrightDrop in the development of vehicles that meet the particular needs of our business,” said vice president of fleet operations for Verizon, Ken Jack. “Adding the EV410 to our fleet is the latest step in our commitment to Verizon achieving net zero operational emissions by 2035.”