BrightDrop, an electric commercial delivery and logistics business from General Motors Co. in Detroit, announced the delivery of the first five of 500 EV600 electric light commercial vehicles to FedEx at is Inglewood, Calif. FedEx Express facility.
FedEx, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., is the first customer to receive the EV600s, which are the fastest built vehicles — from concept to market — in GMs history. The introduction of these vehicles into FedEx’s fleet is the first step in the company’s goal to make global operations 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,” says Mitch Jackson, chief sustainability officer at 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.”
Powered by the Ultium battery platform, the EV600 is designed for deliveries, with an estimated range of up to 250 miles on a full charge. Purpose-built for the delivery of goods and services, the vehicle offers more than 600 cubic feet of cargo area.
To support the new vehicle technology, FedEx is building charging infrastructure across its network of facilities, including the 500 charging stations the company has already installed across California. FedEx is also actively working with utility companies to help evaluate and determine the capacity needed for electrical grids to support such charging infrastructure.
“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,” says 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.”
In 2003, FedEx was the first delivery company to use hybrid vehicles for pickup and delivery and, in 1994, the company used its first electric vehicle – an acid battery-powered vehicle in California.
“With a longstanding mission to connect the world responsibly and resourcefully, FedEx is investing in transformative solutions fueled by innovation,” says Jackson. “That’s why we’re eager to roll up our sleeves and get to work alongside the BrightDrop team, as well as other stakeholders in the private and public sector.”
