Walmart going with Brightdrop for new delivery program

Walmart is adding BrightDrop electric vans to their “last mile fleet” for home deliveries, following a pilot program. This follows Amazon’s use of Rivian vans, which are supplementing or replacing Ram ProMasters and Ford Transits; Amazon invested a great deal of cash into Rivian to make their vans a reality as well as buying them from the company.

According to a GM release, Walmart employees particularly appreciated the BrightDrop vans, which are migrating to Chevrolet but haven’t shown up on that brand’s web site yet, for their 360° cameras, blind zone steering assistance, battery range, and maneuverability. The vans did well in cities, with a low-step design for faster and safer entry and exit, and automatically closing doors.

The vans are being brought out in seven regions by the end of 2024—Austin, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Arkansas, Orlando, and the San Francisco Bay.

The BrightDrop 400 runs around $55,000, in the ballpark of gasoline-powered ProMasters and Transits as well as the Ford Transit EV. It uses Ultium batteries, with 412 cubic feet of cargo volume and a 3,580 lb payload rating. The BrightDrop 400 has all wheel drive standard, an advantage in snow and rain. The range is 135-178 miles (highway-city) with the standard battery and 234-303 miles with the optional battery; it can charge at up to 160 range-miles per hour.

While electric vans generally cost more than gasoline vans, delivery vans can rack up impressive gasoline or diesel fuel bills. Post office and UPS delivery vehicles get single-digit fuel economy in use, pushing Amazon, UPS, and other companies to invest in electric powertrains which are more efficient in stop and go conditions.