U.S. retail giant Walmart is gearing up to debut its BrightDrop electric delivery vans in major cities, with plans to expand its sustainable fleet in the coming months. Walmart initially reserved 5,000 of these EVs from BrightDrop, a General Motors subsidiary, as part of a broader strategy to electrify its delivery network. The first batch of 400 BrightDrop vans will soon begin serving areas like Austin, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Northwest Arkansas, Orlando, and the San Francisco Bay Area by year-end, in support of Walmart’s in-home delivery service expansion to 62 million homes.
Walmart’s Vice President of Dedicated Delivery, Warren Moore, expressed excitement about the vans’ potential. “With a focus on being people-led and tech-powered, we’re constantly enhancing our operations to meet our customers’ needs and improve our associates’ experience,” Moore stated. The BrightDrop 400 vans, designed specifically for last-mile delivery, underwent rigorous testing in real-life conditions, allowing Walmart associates to evaluate features such as automated closing doors and ergonomic access. The new vans are expected to enhance Walmart’s delivery performance, particularly in congested and high-density residential areas.
Manufactured at GM’s CAMI facility in Ontario, Canada, BrightDrop vans reflect Walmart’s commitment to cutting emissions and increasing delivery efficiency. BrightDrop, initially a GM Innovation Lab project, became part of GM’s fleet business unit in 2023 and was later integrated under the Chevrolet brand in August 2024 to boost efficiency and cost management. This transition, along with Chevrolet’s extensive dealership network, is anticipated to provide BrightDrop with a robust support system across the U.S., which currently has only a handful of dealerships dedicated to the brand.
Sandor Piszar, GM Envolve’s Vice President, highlighted the vans’ contribution to fleet sustainability, saying, “BrightDrop vans are purpose-built to optimize safety and efficiency for companies like Walmart as they work to lower emissions and enhance their fleets.” According to BrightDrop, the company has delivered 992 units to customers within the first nine months of 2024—nearly triple its deliveries from the same period last year. While Walmart’s initial reservation was set at 5,000 vehicles, delivery plans may adapt based on both parties’ evolving needs, underscoring the flexibility of this milestone partnership in advancing Walmart’s eco-friendly fleet goals.
