Merchants Fleet, the nation’s fastest-growing fleet management company, plans to further electrify its portfolio with BrightDrop, the new business backed by General Motors, offering electric first-to-last-mile products and software services. Merchants is working with BrightDrop to procure 12,600 BrightDrop EV600s, an all-new, electric light commercial vehicle purpose-built for the delivery of goods and services over long ranges. (Earlier post.)

The EV600 is powered by the Ultium battery system and combines zero-emissions driving with segment-leading safety features. Merchants Fleet expects BrightDrop EV600s to enter its clients’ fleets starting in early 2023.

EV600 in Merchants Fleet livery

We are proud to be the first fleet management company to work with BrightDrop, the innovative and vital new solution from GM. Merchants Fleet is fully committed to the future of electrification, and working to add BrightDrop EV600s to our clients’ fleets is an exciting part of our broader strategy. We look forward to continuing to expand our EV fleet capabilities to provide our clients with a range of electric vehicle services and solutions to meet their evolving needs.

—Brendan P. Keegan, CEO of Merchants Fleet

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. The company has officially launched Electrify Fleet, an innovative vehicle electrification initiative designed to rapidly deploy new electric commercial vehicles into the market with OEM partners.

In addition to increasing EV availability, the initiative is also focused on educating clients about the advantages, applications, and options available to them and providing tools and insights to help them make a seamless and cost-effective entry into EV.

In December 2020, Merchants hired Hari Nayar—former VP of Engineering at XL and Director of Systems Engineering at Ambri—as Director of Electrification and Sustainability to lead its program.