Earlier this week, General Motors (GM) announced the official opening of its first dealership for BrightDrop – a standalone brand segment that promises to focus on electric vans for commercial fleets.
The dealership is located in Fontana, California, and will be operated by an existing franchised dealer, Mike Caposio, who currently operates Chevrolet and Buick/GMC dealerships in California. Early this year, GM had announced the initial BrightDrop EV600 model, and the first vans were built in Oshawa, Ontario this fall.
BrightDrop
According to the press release, BrightDrop production will remain low-volume initially, with plans to ramp up in November of next year. Following the production of the EV600 model, BrightDrop will also develop a short-wheelbase EV410 version which is set to be built sometime in 2023 at the same Canadian factory.
The BrightDrop vans boast more than 400 km in range, as well as a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of under 10,000 pounds for both versions. There has also been mention of plans to launch an “EP1 electric pallet system” before the end of 2021. On the charging front, GM is currently preparing a “fleet version” of its Ultium Charge 360 service, which will offer drivers “fleet and facility management tools plus integration with OnStar Vehicle Insights telematics and BrightDrop’s own management platform.”
