BrightDrop Zevo

The BrightDrop Zevo is a battery electric delivery van produced by General Motors for its electric commercial vehicle marque BrightDrop. It was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show on 12 January 2021. There are two models, the larger Zevo 600 (formerly EV600) and the smaller Zevo 400 (formerly EV410).

History
Rumors began circulating in June 2020 that GM was working on an all-electric delivery van, codenamed "BV1". According to earlier reports from December 2019, an all-electric van would be built at Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly. At the time, the two contracts for 100,000 Rivian EDV electric delivery vans ordered by Amazon and 10,000 Arrival Vans ordered by UPS were collectively valued at US$4 billion.

The BrightDrop EV600 was unveiled as the marque's first vehicle at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on 12 January 2021 along with the EP1 electric pallet cart; GM announced that FedEx had ordered 500 EV600s. The smaller EV410 was first shown that September; telecommunications company Verizon was the first customer for the smaller van, with deliveries scheduled for 2023. In April 2022, BrightDrop announced it had renamed its products; the EV600 and EV410 became the Zevo 600 and Zevo 400, respectively. In addition, the EP1 was renamed to the Trace (e-cart spelled backward).

GM partnered with KUKA, a close supplier, to build the first batch of vehicles in Michigan so they could meet their 2021 delivery target. GM was scheduled to shift Zevo production to the CAMI Automotive factory at Ingersoll, Ontario in November 2022. Some of the robots and tools made and used by KUKA to assemble the initial batch will be transferred to CAMI; CAMI staff have been using the initial batch to refine the production processes. Zevo 600 production at CAMI began on December 5, 2022. At maximum capacity, CAMI will be able to build 50,000 Zevo vans per year. Production of the smaller Zevo 400 is scheduled to start in late 2023.

In addition to FedEx and Verizon, the fleet management company Merchants Fleet placed the largest single order of 18,000 EV600 and EV410 vans by November 2021. FedEx received the first 5 EV600 vans from a 500-vehicle fleet order in December 2021, which they will operate out of their Inglewood, California facility; the delivery company increased its order by 2,000 additional units and Walmart reserved 5,000 units in January 2022. Consumer sales are scheduled to commence in 2022. In September 2022, Hertz announced it would order up to 175,000 electric vehicles from GM, including an unspecified number of BrightDrop Zevo 600 vans. BrightDrop announced its first order from outside the US in December 2022; it will deliver vans to DHL Express Canada.

Orders for the Zevo 400 were opened in August 2023 for the 2024 model year. At that time, a smaller, 14-module battery was introduced as standard equipment for all Zevo models, along with interior design changes. That October, due to Ultium battery supply issues, production of all BrightDrop Zevo vans was paused for approximately six months until April 2024.

On January 11, 2024, GM recalled all 2022 Model Year BRIGHTDROP EV600 per NHTSA Campaign Number 24V014000; the total number of vehicles affected is 66, of which GM estimates 5% are affected with a front-drive unit that may leak oil and cause fire. The recall was not due to the high-voltage traction battery.

It is anticipated the replacements for the Chevrolet Express / GMC Savana, scheduled for the 2026 model year, will also use Ultium battery technology and may use a smaller version of the Zevo platform.

Design
The Zevo range is based on the Ultium battery announced by GM in 2020. Because the van does not need a drive train axle, engineers were able to lower the step-in height by 2 in, improving ergonomics and reducing the physical strain on delivery drivers. The body is made of composite materials incorporating recycled content, riding on a typical battery-electric vehicle skateboard chassis with the underfloor traction motors and battery lowering the vehicle's center of gravity. The chassis uses high-strength steel in the rocker panels, door reinforcement beams, floor structure, and side pillars extending forward from the front firewall.

Powertrain
The first vans were equipped with an all-wheel drive system using two traction motors, one each for the front and rear axles, and the combined output is 300 hp and 390 lbft. A front-wheel drive variant was introduced with the 2025 model year; single-motor peak output is 240 hp and 300 lbft. Deleting the rear traction motor reduces curb weight by 220–240 lb.

The regular production option (RPO) ETJ "Max" high voltage traction battery in the Zevo uses 20 Ultium modules; for comparison, the GMC Hummer EV uses 24 Ultium modules and has an usable capacity of 212.7 kW-hr, and the Zevo "Max" battery has an estimated capacity of 173 kW-hr. The 20-module "Max" battery is available only with all-wheel drive. A smaller 14-module "Standard" battery, RPO EW2 is available for both front- and all-wheel drive models; the curb weight decreases by 520–700 lb with the "Standard" battery; estimated capacity of the "Standard" battery is  kW-hr.

The Zevo 600 is capable of recharging at rates of up to 120 kW (DC) or 11.5 kW (AC). A 19.2 kW (AC) charger is available as an option.

The combined (city + highway) estimated driving range is 159 and 272 mi with the standard and max batteries, respectively; at launch, the range was estimated at 250 mi, which allows the vans to charge overnight for a full day of deliveries. Typical delivery routes average between 100 and 150 mi per day, and the range was designed initially to ensure that delivery drivers could complete an entire route with confidence regardless of weather or traffic conditions. In addition, more gentle or partial charging cycles can be applied, which would prolong the life of the traction battery.

Cargo
The Zevo 600 has an advertised 600 ft3 of cargo volume and a GVWR of under 10,000 lb, providing an estimated payload rating of 2200 lb. The smaller Zevo 400 has 410 ft3 of cargo volume, with a body approximately 20 ft long, designed to fit in a standard parking space; the Zevo 400 rides on an approximately 150 in long wheelbase.

There are two rear axle options available; the standard, designated RPO C5F, carries a gross vehicle weight rating of 9900 lb, while RPO C7E uses an uprated rear axle to increase GVWR to 11000 lb, accommodating greater payload weight.

The Zevo 600 has a sliding curbside door that is 3 ft wide to facilitate moving bulky packages, and the dashboard on that same curb side has a depression that can accommodate two standard United States Postal Service bins. The cargo area is separated from the driver's compartment with a sliding bulkhead door, and a translucent roof is available along with standard motion-activated LED lights to illuminate the rear, which will accommodate a standing person who is 6 ft tall without stooping. When the exterior roll-up door is up, the rear opening measures 60.0 in wide and 72.0 in high.

Driver assistance
Advanced driver-assistance systems include pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and a rear-view camera. For the driver's convenience, the vehicle has parking assistance and may be locked, unlocked, or started remotely; fleets can monitor battery state of charge and track vehicle locations remotely as well. The steering wheel and seat are equipped with haptic technology to warn the driver of potential hazards through vibration.

Current displays use Android Automotive OS, but the interface may be customized in the future. Electronic systems and accessories are operated from the low-voltage (12V) battery, which is carried at the driver's feet.

Guinness World Record
In April 2022, FedEx driver Stephen Marlin set the Guinness World Record for greatest distance traveled by an electric van on a single charge, driving a Zevo 600 from New York City to Washington, D.C., a distance of approximately 260 mi.