GM transfers its BrightDrop electric van division to Chevrolet
Nine months ago, General Motors had already fully integrated its electric commercial vehicle division BrightDrop, which had previously operated independently, into the Group. It was packaged into GM Envolve, the company’s fleet business unit. However, the Group management has since changed its plans: BrightDrop is to find its final place under the Chevrolet brand. The integration of the electric commercial vehicle subsidiary is intended to increase its efficiency, improve its growth prospects and reduce costs.
“All Chevrolet dealers will have the opportunity to sell BrightDrop vans if they meet certain commercial EV requirements,” GM has now announced. And as soon as they are certified, participating Chevrolet dealers will also be able to service BrightDrop products. Scott Bell, Vice President of Chevrolet, comments on the new division of his brand as follows: “With the addition of BrightDrop to the Chevrolet lineup, we are combining advanced EV technology with the dependability and widespread accessibility that only Chevrolet can offer. This move strengthens our EV offerings and reaffirms our role as a leading commercial brand that enables businesses large and small to get work done.”
A brief look back: the concept of a pure van brand with access to the Group’s electric technology was born a few years ago in the GM Innovation Lab. Since the brand was unveiled in 2021, the team has been able to operate relatively independently of GM management. The car manufacturer describes this as the right way of working at the right time, but in November also described the move back to GM as a logical development: ‘As BrightDrop matures, we are now bringing this ethos back to GM so that our work can be more efficient and the startup spirit of BrightDrop can help drive further success with GM’s commercial customers,’ it said in a company letter at the time.
Whether this was the actual reason or whether BrightDrop missed its financial targets is not known – GM has not yet published any separate figures for BrightDrop. Production has been at a standstill since October 2023 due to a lack of battery modules. The current announcement regarding the new Chevrolet affiliation only states that the vehicles will continue to roll off the production line at the CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Canada.
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