Amazon begins testing electric GM BrightDrop vans
According to GM, the dozen or so BrightDrop vehicles are being placed among a fleet which also includes EVs from Rivian, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis. It’s Rivian which raises the most questions, as Amazon backed the startup with an initial $700m investment in 2019 and an additional funding round in 2021.
Amazon already has 25,000 Rivian vehicles in its fleet, purchased as part of a wider plan to introduce 100,000 electric delivery vehicles by the end of the 2020s. In recent years, Rivian has faced cuts to both jobs and vehicle delivery targets, and while a supply agreement with Amazon is still in place, the fact GM has its foot in the door could eventually lead to greater diversification of the fleet.
For what it’s worth, GM stated that it delivered 12 BrightDrop vans to Amazon in 2023, following the launch of BrightDrop as a new fleet vehicle division in 2021. Initially, BrightDrop struggled to grow and was folded into GM Envolve by 2023 before being moved under the Chevrolet brand in August 2024, and GM has struggled to sell electric vans since.
In the first half of this year, GM brand Chevrolet only sold 1,600 electric vans, with GM even pausing production at its CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario in April until later this year. GM has also folded BrightDrop more tightly into its Chevrolet division to cut costs and expand service and distribution through established dealership networks.
So, Amazon’s acquisition of the vans could potentially mark a change in fortunes for GM’s van division. The retail giant hasn’t shared much in the way of details regarding the tests, although Amazon spokesman Steve Kelly told Bloomberg: “We’re committed to having 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road by 2030, and we regularly test various vehicle options – including a small number of Chevrolet BrightDrops in our fleet.”
Typically, Amazon buys its vans in bulk and then leases them to its network of contracted delivery firms – so if testing is successful, it could prove highly beneficial to GM’s ailing van unit. This, of course, remains to be seen.
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