BrightDrop Becomes Part Of General Motors, CEO Leaves
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BrightDrop has announced that it is now a fully integrated part of General Motors, rather than a wholly owned subsidiary. The company says the move will benefit fleet customers by providing a single, efficient point of contact through GM Envolve. Additionally, BrightDrop CEO Travis Katz is set to leave the company.
According to a recent report from Reuters, Katz will depart at an unspecified date, with GM declining to elaborate on the reason behind his departure.
In a recent release, BrightDrop said that the company’s previous structuring as a wholly owned subsidiary allowed it to “operate with the agility and innovation of a tech startup and benefit from GM’s deep manufacturing expertise.” The all-electric commercial delivery company initially launched in January of the 2021 calendar year.
Now, the all-electric commercial delivery company will no longer operate separately from General Motors, “bringing that [startup] ethos back to GM so our work is more efficient and so BrightDrop’s startup spirit can help fuel further success with GM’s commercial customers,” the company states.
GM is now looking to scale production of the all-electric Zevo delivery van, set to resume next Spring with support from the new battery-module plant at the GM CAMI facility in Canada. The new plant will provide support Zevo production at the CAMI facility, as well as provide supplemental support for EV production at additional GM facilities.
The BrightDrop ecosystem of all-electric commercial delivery products include the Zevo 600 and Zevo 400, which offer zero-emissions driving and a range of advanced safety and convenience features. The BrightDrop Zevo 600 provides over 600 cubic feet of cargo space, while the BrightDrop Zevo 400 provides over 400 cubic feet of cargo space. Output is rated at upwards of 300 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. Both models are equipped with GM Ultium batteries and GM Ultium Drive motors. Standard safety items include Front and Rear Park Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Alert, among others.
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How many billions has GM wasted? Shareholders should be going nuts.
Dammit, I got excited! I thought Barra drug up!
So much spin here. I’m dizzy from reading it.
“bringing that [startup] ethos back to GM”
I think we’re supposed to be laughing, with zingers like that.
Next Spring LOL in your dreams
GM learned nothing from their Arriv electric bicycle failure in Europe. Who knows how much that experiment cost? So, they continued with Cruise, Brightdrop, and their EV’s. The dam is cracking and the flood is coming. Brightdrop, really? The stupidest name in history for a commercial vehicle.
Arriv was a random trial and I can only imagine it was somebody’s pet project to get into a new industry. It failed or was given up. Cruise is an R&D adventure/gamble with potentially massive payoffs. There aren’t that many credible players in this space, and the safety aspect means it’s not going to be easy for startups to crash the scene like quick-rent scooters. Brightdrop is a huge and relatively easy opportunity. Last-20-mile delivery trucks spend a lot of time in and out of driveways, a lot of time idling, and don’t need to worry about long hauls and high resistance. There are also a ton of of alternative smaller uses for EVs and tools (logistics). While there will be startups, the potential is huge for a company that’s able to get a big piece of the market share. Costco is going to buy from a stable company (now inside of GM, bingo) and isn’t going to change platforms even if some new startup says they can do it for half the price. I like the Brightdrop project.
When will GM produce and sell their first EV that produces a profit?
It can’t afford to
Last make brought back to GM contol was Saturn. Don’t remember that ending well.