GM subsidiary BrightDrop is shipping the first 500 units of the BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric van produced at the GM CAMI Assembly plant in Canada, the company announced in a recent press release. Production at the CAMI plant started in December 2022.
The 500-unit milestone was achieved as BrightDrop continues to increase production, with a goal of 50,000 Zevo 600 units built yearly by 2025.
GM reconfigured the CAMI plant to produce the BrightDrop Zevo 600 in a marathon seven-month retooling that converted some 2 million square feet of factory space for EV van production. The automaker describes the process as “the fastest-ever plant conversion for GM.” Previous to the start of retooling on May 1st, 2022, CAMI Assembly produced the Chevy Equinox crossover.
Before the retooled CAMI facility came online, a German supplier called Kuka AG built limited numbers of the Zevo 600 under contract at a Michigan facility. This early production enabled the first 150 units to be delivered to FedEx during summer 2022 along with several other small deliveries.
The BrightDrop Zevo 600 itself set records as GM’s fastest-built vehicle ever, with a development cycle taking only 20 months from concept to commercialization. The 2023 BrightDrop Zevo 600 has already sold out, with BrightDrop now accepting reservations for the 2024 model year. Over 30 commercial customers have placed orders for the EV van, with some orders numbering as high as 12,600 units in the case of Merchants Fleet.
As a reminder, the BrightDrop Zevo 600 is a commercial electric van with a 600 cubic-foot cargo capacity offering a 250-mile range on a single battery charge. Maximum payload is estimated at 2,200 pounds. The Zevo 600 EV’s GVWR is 9,990 pounds, making it drivable by drivers without the special license often required for driving vehicles with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or more. Safety technology includes Automatic Emergency Braking, Front and Rear Park Assist, and standard IntelliBeam LED headlamps.
The BrightDrop Zevo 600 was built from the ground up as an electric van, utilizing Ultium battery technology for power and Ultium Drive motor technology for propulsion. Its dual-motor AWD powertrain develops 300 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. The Zevo 600 is compatible with 120 kW DC fast charging or AC Level 2 11.5 kW charging and offers a peak recharging rate of 160 miles per hour.
As noted, production takes place at the GM CAMI Assembly plant in Canada.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more BrightDrop Zevo 600 news, BrightDrop news, GM electric vehicle news, GM technology news, GM production news, GM business news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Can we get Bright Drop to build Silverados?
Who cares? Express vans would have outsold them. If they had been built with V8’s. Business owners paying are above MSRP for used Express Vans.
The Brightdrop EV600 is much taller and more current than the Chevy Express Van and is not riding on the same Platform, so what exactly makes this a used Express Van?