Chevrolet is expanding its electric vehicle portfolio with commercial vans as GM announced the transition of BrightDrop electric vans to the Chevrolet brand.
From now on, Chevrolet will sell Brightdrop GM electric vans using its own network of dealerships. About this reported the website Electrek.co.
This is expected to not only increase sales, but also be a direct challenge to rivals Ford, Rivian and others in the field of electric vans.
BrightDrop was launched in January 2021 as a separate General Motors brand focused on commercial electric vehicles. In 2023, the company was integrated into GM Envolve. Now it will be sold under the patronage of Chevrolet.
The brand has two electric vans, models 400 and 600, which are already used by large transport companies. Among them are FedEx, Ryder and DHL.
GM believes that EVs will sell better under the Chevrolet brand. GM said in a statement Thursday:
“The addition of BrightDrop electric vans to Chevrolet's expanding EV portfolio will provide BrightDrop customers with access to one of the largest and most extensive commercial sales and service networks in the industry and expand the brand's growth opportunities.”
The electric vans will now be known as the Chevrolet 400 and 600. Chevrolet vice president Scott Bell said that by adding the Brightdrop to the lineup, “we're combining advanced electric vehicle technology with the reliability and affordability that only Chevrolet can offer.”
GM will continue to build commercial electric vans at its CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario.
The merger announcement comes after Ford unveiled plans to launch a new electric advanced commercial van in 2026. Ford already has the best-selling van in the US – the Transit and E-Transit. In the second quarter, the Ford Transit and E-Series combined accounted for half of the US full-size commercial van segment.
Ford sold 6,301 E-Transit vans in the first six months of the year, up 116% from 2023. By comparison, GM has sold 746 BrightDrop electric vans through June 2024. The situation will change in the near future, but the new merger of brands is not yet able to move Ford forward.