FedEx Express Canada has launched its inaugural fleet of 50 BrightDrop Zevo 600 electric delivery vehicles, ready to start in select cities across the nation.
The ceremonial event was attended by Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Natural Resources, alongside FedEx customers and team members, at the FedEx Ship Centre on Commissioners Street in Toronto.
FedEx plans for these electric vehicles (EVs) to serve the cities of Toronto, Montreal, and Surrey in B.C., as the company propels its initiative to reduce carbon emissions in last-mile delivery. This transition to an all-electric, zero-emission fleet for parcel pickup and delivery is a key move in FedEx’s broader strategy to attain carbon neutrality by 2040.
The Zevo 600 electric van, designed by General Motors (GM) and powered by GM’s Ultium Platform, is tailor-made for last-mile deliveries. With a range of up to 400 kilometres on a full charge, these vehicles present an optimal choice for delivery services prioritizing environmental consciousness.
Assembled in Canada, these light commercial EVs will contribute significantly to FedEx Express Canada’s journey toward an all-electric delivery fleet. FedEx has ambitious plans with half of its global vehicle purchases being electric by 2025, with a goal of 100% by 2030.
“FedEx is a key collaborator in our journey to help reduce carbon emissions for deliveries,” said Steve Hornyak, chief commercial officer at BrightDrop, in a statement to iPhone in Canada. “As our first customer to deploy Zevos in the U.S. and Canada, FedEx is showing the world how the addition of electric vehicles can help achieve ambitious sustainability goals and improve the communities we live and work in.”
In the coming years, FedEx and BrightDrop are set to expand their partnership with the introduction of a total of 2,500 vehicles across FedEx’s operations, adding to the more than 400 vehicles already in operation in Southern California. As part of this progressive transition, FedEx is establishing charging infrastructure across its Canadian facilities, with 80 charging stations already installed in the launch markets.
The Zevo 600s are manufactured at GM’s CAMI Assembly plant in Ontario, an establishment transformed into Canada’s first large-scale EV factory following a substantial investment by GM of nearly one billion Canadian dollars.
BrightDrop’s Chief Commercial Officer, Steve Hornyak, applauded FedEx’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions in deliveries. He emphasized that FedEx’s dedication to deploying Zevos in the U.S. and Canada serves as a prime example of how the adoption of electric vehicles can align with ambitious sustainability objectives, ultimately benefiting the communities where we live and work.
