Small service and delivery businesses and tradespeople take note: If you’re looking to electrify your fleet with a vehicle that can satisfy light cargo hauling needs — and you’re ready to act sooner than later — General Motors has an option to consider. 

The 2020 Chevy Bolt EV can be ordered with the Rear Seat Delete Package, which essentially turns the EV into a small cargo van by delivering an additional 9.4 cu.-ft., for 66 cu.-ft. of total cargo space. That’s more cargo space than a Chevy Equinox, and you won’t have to wait around until competitors’ electric vans come to market.

Sure, this won’t work with heavy loads and many typical cargo van applications. (For comparison, the 2020 Ford Transit Connect offers 77.6 to 123.2 cu. ft. of cargo space.) But for hauling sales demonstration materials, trade tools, appliance parts, and similar, this is a worthy entry into commercial vehicle electrification.

Using a ship-thru process, fleet customers can choose from two upfit packages: 

Adrian Steel offers a standard Bolt EV Cargo upfit that consists of a crossover-style partition and 1/8-inch thick pliable floor mats. The Knapheide cargo upfit package is engineered to maximize cargo space and provides the ability to add accessories and organizational solutions. 

Choosing the cargo van package also marries commercial vehicle functionality with passenger car maneuverability and features such as remote start, heated outside mirrors, and options such as wireless phone charging, leather surfaces, and premium audio.   

The 2020 Chevy Bolt EV has an EPA-estimated 259 miles of driving range on a full charge.