Ben Klayman and Paul Lienert
The move will put GM squarely in competition in the commercial sector with rival Ford Motor as well as start-ups such as Rivian, Arrival and Canoo that are developing electric commercial vehicles for customers from Amazon to Hyundai Motor. The BrightDrop EV600 will use a version of GM's Ultium battery system that will power many of the company's future EVs, including the Hummer EV truck and the Cadillac Lyriq crossover.Pam Fletcher, GM vice-president of global innovation, said the EV600 is a large, purpose-built delivery van that will have a range of 400km between charges, with a long list of advanced safety features and built-in internet connectivity.
The first 500 units will go to FedEx by the end of the year, with deliveries to other customers starting in early 2022, Fletcher said.