Walmart Signs Up For 5,000 BrightDrop EVs, FedEx Expands Its Deal

General Motors's BrightDrop secured more reservations for the EV600 and EV410 models.

BrightDrop EV600 in Walmart fleet

Mark Kane

By: Mark Kane

Jan 5, 2022 at 12:15pm ET

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General Motors' new all-electric commercial vehicle brand - BrightDrop - announced at 2022 CES a new agreement with Walmart and an additional agreement with FedEx, which recently received the first vehicles.

Walmart specifically intends to buy thousands of BrightDrop’s EV600 and smaller EV410 electric delivery vans. The company signed an agreement to reserve 5,000 units (EV600/EV410).

FedEx, already signed in for the first 500 BrightDrop EV600 right from the start in early 2021, now would like to get 2,000 more BrightDrop EVs. It will be 2,500 in total. There is a potential to increase the volume up to 20,000, according to the press release:

"FedEx has signed an agreement with BrightDrop reserving priority production for 2,000 electric delivery vans over the next few years. This agreement adds to FedEx’s initial reservation of 500 BrightDrop EVs announced last year. In addition, FedEx is working on a plan to add up to 20,000 more in the years to follow, subject to further negotiations and execution of a definitive purchase agreement."

The first BrightDrop EV600 electric vans delivered to FedEx

BrightDrop EV410

As we understand, the agreements are not definite orders yet. So far, GM scored several huge agreements like this, including:

FedEx: 2,500 EVs (500 EV600 + 2,000 more EVs)
Merchants Fleet: 18,000 EVs (12,600 EV600 and 5,400 EV410)
Walmart: 5,000 EVs

FedEx is also interested in the small EP1 electric pallet, which was successfully tested in Toronto and New York. The EP1 noticeably improved package deliveries:

"Following a Toronto-based pilot announced in January 2021, which saw a 25 percent increase in package deliveries per day when using BrightDrop’s EP1 electric container, BrightDrop today announced the completion of a second pilot with FedEx in New York City.

In this limited pilot, the integration of BrightDrop’s EP1 allowed FedEx Express couriers to increase package deliveries by 15 percent per hour, remove one on-road vehicle from the delivery route and cut delivery vehicle curbside dwell time in half, when used on routes in a high-density, vertical urban environment – all while reducing physical strain on couriers. FedEx plans to expand the EP1 testing to 10 markets beginning in 2022."

BrightDrop EP1

Walmart says that the BrightDrop electric vans will be used for its InHome delivery service, starting in 2023.

"Walmart plans to use BrightDrop electric vans as part of its InHome delivery service, which the retailer announced today it will be rapidly expanding, going from InHome being available to 6 million households to making it accessible to 30 million U.S. households by the end of the year. Launched in 2019, Walmart’s InHome delivery service is designed to give time back to families by using highly trained associates to deliver fresh groceries and everyday essentials directly into the customer’s kitchen or garage refrigerator.

To support the growth of InHome, this year the company will hire more than 3,000 associate delivery drivers and will equip them with an all-electric fleet of delivery vans to support the retailer’s goal of operating a 100 percent zero-emissions logistics fleet by 2040. BrightDrop’s electric vans may begin hitting the road for Walmart deliveries as early as 2023."

The Ultium-based BrightDrop EV600 already entered limited production in late 2021 (the initial batch of several hundred units will be produced in Michigan), but the high-volume series production will start in November 2022 at the CAMI manufacturing plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

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BrightDrop EV600 specs:

range of up to 250 miles (400 km)
undisclosed battery capacity
20 battery modules
over 600 cubic feet of cargo area
available payload: up to estimated 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg)
available at a GVWR of less than 10,000 pounds
all-wheel drive
DC fast charging at up to 120 kW
range replenishing speed of up to 160 mph (257 km/h)
Ultium platform

BrightDrop EV410 specs:

range of up to 250 miles (400 km)
undisclosed battery capacity
more than 400 cubic feet of cargo area
available at a GVWR of less than 10,000 pounds
under 20’ in length, just over 150” Wheelbase
Ultium platform