Merchants Fleet has reserved 5,400 BrightDrop EV410s, a mid-size electric light commercial vehicle purpose-built for the delivery of goods and services over long ranges. BrightDrop is the new EV business backed by General Motors aimed at first- to last-mile delivery.

The Nov. 18 announcement said Merchants Fleet is slated to be BrightDrop’s first fleet management company customer and its second major customer overall. BrightDrop EV600s are expected to enter Merchants Fleet client fleets starting in early 2023.

Merchants Fleet aims to have 50% of its mobility fleet portfolio electric by 2025, and 50% of its managed fleet portfolio fully electric by 2030.

“We are dedicated to meeting our fleet clients’ EV needs, from top to bottom,” said Brendan Keegan, Merchants Fleet CEO. “Every fleet has different requirements, so we need to provide flexibility and offer best-in-class solutions, at every level. The electrification of fleet is no longer in the future — It is here, and we are proud to work with BrightDrop to reach diverse segments and drive this transformation forward.” 

The mid-size EV410 has an estimated range of up to 250 miles on a full charge. The EV410’s gross vehicle weight rating [GVWR] of less than 10,000 lbs. limits the need for additional operating licenses and is designed for greater maneuverability and curb access.

“Merchants Fleet's plan to purchase such a large order of our electric commercial vehicles shows they are serious about leading the fleet industry's transformation to an all-electric future, and confident in BrightDrop’s ability to bring that vision to life," said Travis Katz, BrightDrop president and CEO. “The collaboration with Merchants Fleet opens the door for other companies that want to electrify their fleets by providing access to our portfolio of electric vehicles, which is a critical step toward decreasing vehicle-related emissions in the communities where we live.” 

Merchants released an exclusive AdoptEV program earlier this year that guides businesses through every step of the fleet electrification process. For Merchants' clients like Staples, guidance is important in making the transition to EV.

Staples currently operates a fleet of 1,500 throughout North America and has recently begun introducing EVs into their current delivery fleet.  

“This is a really exciting step forward as we explore opportunities to implement more EVs into our fleet and meeting the goals of our EV strategy.” says Paul Tarpey, director of Fleet Procurement at Staples. “By Merchants investing in EVs they are making it possible for Staples to take tangible steps toward electrification, with innovative options like the EV410 that will allow us to transition some of our smaller fleet vehicles to EV as well.”