The Chevrolet BrightDrop is expanding its market presence and customer list with a new last-mile delivery pilot project in Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas.
The Frontdoor Collective (FC) and last-mile logistics startup Circuit EV Solutions (CEV) have announced a new partnership, in collaboration with the vehicle manufacturer and retail giant Target, to deploy 50 new BrightDrop battery-electric delivery vans in the DFW region.
According to GM, the BrightDrop EV can travel an estimated 272 miles city/highway/combined on a single charge.
"Electric, last-mile delivery solutions can help drive business efficiencies for our customers, including lower operating costs and maintenance costs," said Ian Hucker, vice president of GM Envolve. "Circuit selected our purpose-built Chevrolet BrightDrop electric delivery vans to gain those advantages and to get the job done safely and reliably."
[Related: Blue Bird launches new medium-duty step vans with all-electric and propane power options]
CEV says it's building and managing its own dedicated charging depots to support a reliable charging network and fleet operations.
For its part, the FC leverages a nationwide franchise network made up of Amazon Delivery Service Providers (DSPs) and FedEx Independent Service Providers (ISPs), giving it immediate access to skilled last-mile delivery professionals.
Together, these capabilities make large-scale electric delivery possible today, rather than years down the road.
"We're building the infrastructure backbone that makes high-volume electric delivery possible nationwide," said Adam Greenberg, CEO at Circuit EV Solutions. "By ensuring fleets have the charging support they need, we’re removing the final barrier to true EV scalability in last-mile logistics."
This obviously isn't the first time Chevy BrightDrop EV vans have been deployed for last-mile deliveries.
Ryder, Walmart, and FedEx are existing customers and continue to work with the company.
Last spring, General Motors paused BrightDrop production and temporarily laid off 1,200 workers at its Ontario plant, citing slow sales. The company stated the move was not related to then-newly imposed U.S. tariffs on Canada, but was instead intended to "balance inventory and align production with current demand."
Although long-haul, heavy-duty battery-electric rigs have yet to fully establish themselves for a variety of reasons, last-mile and medium-duty BEVs are making steady progress.
Along with the BrighDrop van, Rivian manufacturers the Electric Delivery Van (EDV), of which examples can literally be seen everyday delivering packages for Amazon. To date, there are around 14,000 examples on the road.
[Related: Rivian halts Amazon delivery van production, blames parts shortage]
