General Motors took another step towards an electric future, unveiling a new sub-brand for e-commerce delivery, “BrightDrop.”
BrightDrop provides a business solution offering a complete ecosystem of products, technology, and services to expedite the logistics process.
“BrightDrop offers a smarter way to deliver goods and services. 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,” commented GM’s CEO Mary Barra.
A large-scale market study has shown the delivery and logistics business will reach an unprecedented high of $850 billion by 2035. Thus, the demand for e-commerce delivery could increase by 78 percent by 2030.
BrightDrop EP1
BrightDrop’s first product is a box-shaped droid-like vehicle, the EP1, which is basically an electric goods palette. The EP1 will work as a helping hand to employees for carrying heavy loads over short distances.
Reaching a top speed of 3 mph, the vehicle will match its operator’s pace to deliver the goods from the van to the doorstep. And thanks to its 200-pound loading capacity and 23 cubic feet of cargo space, it could also carry commodities inside warehouses.
FedEx partnered up with GM to conduct a trial run with the EP1 last year. Unsurprisingly, couriers could handle 25% more packages with the help of the EP1. Consequently, we can assume it’s only a matter of time until it’s widely used in the industry.
EV600 Electric Delivery Van
Meanwhile, the company’s second offering is the EV600, an electric delivery van designed and developed for long-range deliveries and equipped with a wide range of safety and driver assistant features often found in consumer EVs.
BrightDrop will also adopt GM’s Ultium Battery platform, giving it 250-miles of range. The brand promises a peak charge rate of 170 miles of range per hour with 120kW DC fast charging. The EP600 will also be capable of carrying 600 cubic feet of cargo.
Furthermore, BrightDrop’s van features motion sensors to detect any unusual activity and inform the concerned department.
BrightDrop will also offer software-enabled services, helping customers monitor their packages online. The company hopes to reduce parcel theft and open a way for better transparency. Other services put forward by the company includes asset management, which enables location monitoring and remotely locking and unlocking of the EP1 compartments.
With GM entering the delivery van sector, startup companies like Rivian, Bollinger, and Arrival will have much tougher times. However, that would also push the industry forward, thus lowering carbon emissions in the long run.
More details on BrightDrop’s Website
