Purolator, a freight, package and logistics solutions provider, recently announced that it intends to invest roughly $1 billion into electrifying its Canadian network of vehicles. As a part of this investment, the Canadian-based company will purchase several all-electric BrightDrop Zevo 600 delivery vans.
With a goal of reducing emissions by 42 percent by 2030, Purolator will add more than 100 EVs to its vehicle fleet this year, including 15 BrightDrop Zevo 600 vans. The all-electric delivery van was among the chosen vehicles based on market-leading technology, operational support, and filling Purolator’s unique transportation needs.
“Purolator was the first Canadian courier to launch fully electric curbside-delivery trucks nationally,” Purolator President and CEO John Ferguson was quoted as saying. “Our ambition is to be the greenest courier company in Canada, and with this investment, Purolator will take yet another important step toward a more sustainable future and healthier planet. We’ve set ambitious goals for ourselves and are working with our customers and partners every day to reduce our carbon footprint and protect our environment.”
As a reminder, full-scale production of the BrightDrop Zevo 600 kicked off last December at the GM CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Canada following a seven-month retooling effort covering some two million square feet. With output provided by GM Ultium batteries and GM Ultium Drive motors, the all-electric delivery van has a range of over 250 miles on a single charge, and can carry more than 600 cubic feet of cargo. Notably, the first BrightDrop Zevo 600 vans entered service in California in September 2022.
BrightDrop will also offer the Zevo 400 later this year, with production expected to commence during the fourth quarter of 2023. Intended as a smaller alternative to the larger Zevo 600, the Zevo 400 offers upwards of 400 cubic feet of cargo room and is designed for more frequent, shorter-distance deliveries.
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Comments
Good sale. The Brightdrop has had an impressive rollout.
Hopefully we keep the Express van production humming along for a while longer. It’s a good budget option for a lot of small companies that can’t afford these EV’s.
This is a good start but they need to start scaling up ASAP because they are already way behind Ford with >90% of this underserved market and Rivian with 7%. Whoever can scale will own this market as currently <1% is being served domestically. These are perfect for end deliveries with minimal maintenance, superior cargo capacity per footprint and they can quickly recharge while being loaded for the next deliveries. I hope GM doesn't fumble away this opportunity, but its going to come down to whoever can get the necessary battery capacity and Ultium batteries are a major bottleneck for GM.
GM EV capabilities will be vertically integrated as far as manufacturing is concerned. But, being vertically integrated has both advantages and disadvantages. Short term the major disadvantage that I know of right now is the supply of batteries from their Ohio battery plant. However, I believe that battery production has increased this year, and once production gets to full capacity and their other battery manufacturing locations get started; GM EV production will no longer constrained.
Gads, I feel old. I remember Purolator making automotive filters.