FedEx receives first 150 electric delivery vehicles from BrightDrop

FedEx Corp. received its first 150 electric delivery vehicles from BrightDrop, the technology startup from General Motors (GM) focused on decarbonizing last-mile delivery. FedEx plans to transform its entire parcel pickup and delivery (PUD) fleet to all-electric, zero-tailpipe emissions by 2040.

The delivery comes just months after BrightDrop’s commercialization of the Zevo 600 as the fastest vehicle to market in GM’s history. (Earlier post.)

The first 150 BrightDrop Zevo 600s were delivered throughout Southern California to FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies. Powered by GM’s Ultium Platform, the Zevo 600 is designed for last-mile deliveries, with an estimated range of up to 250 miles on a full charge. This is part of a larger agreement between FedEx and BrightDrop that will see FedEx incorporate 2,500 total Zevo 600s across FedEx operations over the next few years.

To support the new vehicle technology, FedEx is building charging infrastructure across its vast network of facilities, including the more than 500 charging stations the company has already installed across California. FedEx is also actively working with utility companies to help evaluate and determine the capacity needed for electrical grids to support such charging infrastructure and is investing to expand on-site generation and procurement of renewable energy in its facilities.

In 2003, FedEx was the first delivery company to use hybrid vehicles for pickup and delivery and, in 1994, the company used its first electric vehicle—an acid battery-powered vehicle in California. To complement the company’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact in its own operations, FedEx has been a vocal advocate for improved fuel efficiency standards and policies to support the commercial deployment of alternative-fuel vehicles.