User:MaryGaulke/sandbox/BrightDrop requests

Hi! I'm posting here on behalf of BrightDrop. GM is a client of Fleishman Hillard, a sister agency of my employer, Porter Novelli. Some edit requests for this article:

Lead

 * Update the infobox from to  to incorporate the "Key people", "Industry" and "Products" parameters. This is mocked up at right (sans logo since non-free files are only permitted in articles).


 * Also in infobox, update "type" from "Electric commercial vehicle marque" to "Electric commercial delivery vehicle company" (also mocked up at right).


 * Update
 * The business offers connected products targeting last mile delivery customers - including electric vehicles, ePallets, and a cloud-based software solution.
 * to
 * The business offers a system of connected products targeting first- and last-mile delivery customers – including light commercial electric vehicles, ePallets, and cloud-based software.
 * Just some basic punctuation fixes and clarifications, avoiding WP:SOLUTION, adding details from the source, and fleshing out and naming the ref.

History
New section:
 * BrightDrop, initially called Smart Cargo, was one of the first businesses launched by GM's Global Innovation team incubator, headed by engineer Pam Fletcher. It began development in September 2019. By February 2020, Smart Cargo had evolved to combine GM's electric van plans with development of software- and data-driven services for delivery businesses. Later that year, GM recruited Travis Katz to become president and CEO of BrightDrop. Previously, Katz had held executive roles at Redpoint Ventures, Skyscanner, and MySpace; he was also CEO and co-founder of Trip.com.


 * GM CEO Mary Barra introduced the BrightDrop brand as part of her address at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2021. After the announcement, GM's stock reached its highest price since its initial public offering in 2010.

Products
New section:
 * BrightDrop's first two products are the EV600 electric van and EP1 electric pallet. The EV600 is powered by GM's Ultium battery platform and is purpose-built for the delivery of goods and services over long distances. It has a built-in security system and a range of 250 miles per charge. Its name is a play on its 600 cubic feet of cargo space.
 * BrightDrop's first two products are the EV600 electric van and EP1 electric pallet. The EV600 is powered by GM's Ultium battery platform and is purpose-built for the delivery of goods and services over long distances. It has a built-in security system and a range of 250 miles per charge. Its name is a play on its 600 cubic feet of cargo space.


 * The EP1 can carry up to 23 cubic feet and 200 pounds. It has a built-in electric motor to move at a speed of up to 3 miles per hour, adjusting to the walking speed of its operator. It helps delivery workers move goods over short distances, like from a van to a customer's front door. It has adjustable shelves and doors that can be remotely locked and unlocked. In a pilot program with FedEx, couriers were able to handle 25% more packages per day with the EP1 and experienced less physical strain.


 * The company also has a cloud-based software platform accessible by web or mobile app. Its software can monitor vehicle locations and battery charges, manage vehicles remotely, predict maintenance needs, and optimize routes.

Operations
New section:
 * BrightDrop is developing electric vans, related hardware, support services and software for use by commercial delivery firms. It is part of a larger initiative at GM to have an all-electric lineup of vehicles by 2035. BrightDrop's first customer is FedEx, which placed an initial order for 500 EV600 vehicles. Merchants Fleet, a fleet management company, is slated to purchase an additional 12,600 EV600s starting in 2023.


 * GM announced in January 2021 that its CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, would manufacture the EV600, making it Canada's first large-scale auto plant converted to produce electric delivery vehicles. GM planned to invest $800 million in the plant for this purpose.