FedEx has received the first five electric delivery trucks made by GM out of 500 orders, the company announced. This move represents an important turning point for FedEx in its stated goal of having All-electric delivery team and become carbon neutral around the world by 2040.
“The delivery of the first BrightDrop EV600s is a historic moment, born of the spirit of partnership between two leading American companies,” said Mitch Jackson, FedEx sustainability manager. “[T]Check out our fleet of pickup and delivery vehicles to tram is integral to achieving our ambitious sustainability goals announced earlier this year. “
FedEx is announced as the main customer of Brightdrop truck EV600 and was experiment Brightdrop’s electric EP1 pallet in recent times. GM, own Chevrolet and Cadillac, pull Brightdrop business unit earlier this year. Brightdrop CEO Travis Katz said: “The EV600 combines the best features of a traditional van and a pickup truck into one vehicle, ensuring driver safety, comfort and convenience”. “It’s also the fastest built vehicle, from concept to market, in GM’s history.”
The all-wheel drive EV600 has 600 cubic feet of cargo space and can go 250 kilometers on a single charge. Inside, the driver gets a security system in the cargo area, auto-locking doors and motion-activated interior lights. They also benefit from the automatic emergency feature brake and parking assistance. The EP1 is a trolley commonly found in stores and warehouses, with 23 cubic feet of space and an electric motor that makes it easier to move heavy items.
The first five EV600s are being delivered to FedEx show facility in Inglewood, California. To support them, FedEx is building charging stations across its entire network of facilities, including 500 already installed across California. It also works with utility companies to assess the grid capacity required for their charging infrastructure.
While FedEx has partnered with GM, rival UPS command 10,000 electricity delivery truck are from Arrival Ltd. is based in the UK. Amazon, meanwhile, order for 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans and even owns a 20% stake in the company. Amazon is ahead of both FedEx and UPS, already starting Rivian electric deliveries in both Los Angelessand San Francisco.
This report by S. Dent originally appeared on Engadget.
Related videos:
