GM’s Bright Drop: versatile electric mobility for delivery companies

General Motors launches a new Bright Drop brand to offer electric delivery vehicles combined with roll containers and an intelligent cloud-based logistics platform. Delivery company FedEx will start using this system from the end of 2021.

New brand

A few days ago, GM showed its new logo and announced its plans for the number of electric vehicles (30) that will come on the market by the end of 2025. Today, at the CES in Las Vegas, GM is launching a new brand called Bright Drop, that focuses solely on the growing delivery business.

GM will invest 22 billion euros in the development of electric and autonomous vehicles, and by doing this, it wants to make a fist against Tesla and other new players on the market.

Ecosystem

Bright Drop will be a real ecosystem tailored for delivery companies. The vans have an all-electric drive system similar to that used in other electric GM products. Bright Drop includes the van and electrically powered boxes  (EP1) that hold the packages.

Bright Drop also offers a cloud-based software system with the necessary connectivity so that the parties involved (supplier, recipient, and courier company) can track the delivery status very accurately.

EP1 containers

The Bright Drop EP1 containers are modular and have adjustable shelves so that all sizes of packages fit into them. The system is reminiscent of the catering carts used in aviation. Thanks to the electric drive with hub motor (maximum speed 5 km/h), the supplier does not have to lug the sometimes heavy boxes.

The units are also intelligent as they carry a digital label and can also be opened or locked remotely, which means additional security for certain deliveries. These units will go on sale in the first quarter of 2021.

EV600 vans

The EV600 vans have a purely electric drive and are, therefore, ideally suited for city deliveries. The EV 600 achieves a driving range of 400 km. It can be recharged at conventional charging stations and can connect with a DC fast charger up to 120 kW.

The van offers a 16 m3 loading space in which the EP1 cargo boxes can be integrated particularly efficiently. The EV 600 will be delivered to the first customers (Fed Ex) from the end of 2021. From 2022, the Bright Drop system will become available to more customers.