GM’s electric delivery van just set a world record — with me riding shotgun

When we pass a white Rivian R1T electric pickup truck, I think I'm the first person in the world to ride in an electric delivery van.

It is like seeing a ghost. The buzzy EV company began manufacturing the R1T last year and has only delivered around 2,500 of them. Rivian won't say how many electric delivery vans it has made so far.

BrightDrop, an electric delivery company that spun out of General GM last year, made the van I am riding in. BrightDrop is attempting to set a world record for the longest distance traveled by an electric delivery van on a single charge. I am learning that delivery van jump seats are not meant for long roadtrips. The Rivian spotting felt like a wake-up call, but my butt is asleep.

I don't think the R1T driver noticed us as we passed, but I think they gave us a thumbs up. The game recognizes the game.

There aren't any electric delivery vans so there is no record for the longest electric delivery van journey. The majority of the vans that deliver your Amazon and FedEx packages are powered by dirty dinosaur sludge. The number of real electric vans on the road today is minuscule, even though a lot of companies have plans to make electric vans.

I've been stuck in my house for the better part of two years, so why not join the journey? BrightDrop invited me along on the journey, and I've been stuck in my house for the better part of two years.

BrightDrop

At the FedEx vehicle depot in Midtown Manhattan, a group of employees are gathered around the van, dubbed the Zevo 600, making preparations for the trip. The FedEx van is the only one parked at the facility that has round corners, large windshield, black trim, and a slightly shorter stance than its gas-powered equivalents. The Zevo 600 has no hood to pop, unlike the other vans that had their hoods open. The battery in the floor of the van powers two electric motors in the front and rear of the van.

The van is ready to go on the road after recording the battery's state of charge and odometer. Stephen is the client solutions account executive at BrightDrop. For today's trip, Marlin was cosplaying as a FedEx driver, wearing the company's recognizable black-and-purple uniform. He was chased down by a New York City resident who was looking for his missing package.

I don't get to wear a FedEx uniform, and I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

We traveled to the Lincoln Tunnel at 7 am. There are several boxes of organic cleaning supplies in the back of the truck. This isn't an actual delivery run, but BrightDrop orchestrated it for the purpose of setting the record.

The van is being followed by four chase cars, none of which are electric, with photographers and a camera crew capturing every step of the way. One of the camera guys hangs out the open door of a minivan and shoots a video of the Zevo 600 at 70mph. I am amazed that he does not die.

Since the cargo area is mostly empty, there isn't much to absorb the noise. The Zevo 600 is quiet. The delivery van has a steel lined cargo space that rattles like an empty tin can when we hit a new obstacle.

When he drives, he gets instructions from the chase cars via walkie-talkie about when to change lanes and when to slow down. I don't want to grab the walkie-talkie and start yelling, "Breaker breaker one nine, what's your twenty good buddy?"

The cab is large. My jump seat doesn't recline, but I can cross my legs to cushion the pressure on my back. We talk about Mad Max and what to do with too many bananas. We are passed by all the other delivery vans and trucks on the road because the Zevo 600 is speed-governed to 65 mph. It is slightly chilly in the van, and Marlin wants to keep the heat off in order to maximize the battery's range. At one point, I fell asleep.

BrightDrop

The EV600 is the larger of BrightDrop's two electric vans, with a gross vehicle weight of less than 10,000 pounds. It is a normal sized delivery van.

The van's body rests on a new EV powertrain and battery pack called Ultium that GM says will power its new generation of electric vehicles, like the Hummer EV. The Ultium platform is crucial to GM's massive $35 billion investment in electric and self-drive vehicles over the next few years. Depending on the vehicle size, it is a flexible architecture. One of the first vehicles to roll out on the Ultium platform is a delivery van.

I thought that was what I thought before I set off on this trip. I was surprised by how many people were interested in the van and wanted to check out the interior and cargo area. Even though the FedEx logo is on the side, the Zevo 600 grabbed a lot of attention.

BrightDrop's only products are electric delivery vans. It is an e-commerce delivery system that includes software, access to charging station providers, and even an electric pallet that can be used in the warehouse or on the street for delivery and package pickup. The pallet I tested out in Brooklyn a few weeks back was very similar to an electric bike or scooter in terms of its controls and handling. I wasn't allowed to take it with me.

FedEx is one of the deals BrightDrop has. FedEx said it would reserve 2,500 EVs, while Walmart reserved 5,000. BrightDrop has delivered 5 vehicles to FedEx so far, and will deliver more as they come off the assembly line.

BrightDrop

The first place we go when I wake is an adorable little burg a few miles outside ofTrenton. We pass houses with signs in their front yards that are against loud truck traffic. I wonder if those trucks would be more receptive if they were zero emission.

We are going to Philadelphia after taking photos of the odometer and battery meter. The battery is left at Independence Hall. We circle Independence Hall more than once, as the crew shoots video and takes drone shots. I smile at the security guard outside the Hall when we pass.

I take another cat nap, and we are in Baltimore doing loops around Federal Hill Park. There are more than 100 miles left on the battery. When I see the Rivian. I envision a future in which an Amazon delivery van and a FedEx delivery van silently pass each other in service to a world reshaped by e- commerce.

There has been a boom in home delivery. The number of delivery vehicles in the largest 100 cities will increase by 36 percent over the next decade according to experts. According to the World Economic Forum, 6 million tons of tailpipe pollution is caused by more trucks.

On the way to Washington, I get a call from a FedEx employee. He tells me that FedEx has been looking for an EV supplier for a long time. FedEx was left out in the cold when Chanje failed to fulfill its promise to buy 1,000 electric delivery vans. BrightDrop is a wholly owned subsidiary of GM.

Jackson notes that what we're doing right now is not FedEx's standard practices. The delivery company would use a semi truck to deliver many thousands of packages to one of its distribution hubs, and then use the electric van for the last mile delivery.

Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge

We arrived at Mom's Organic in Washington, DC at 1:57PM. The Zevo 600 will have enough range to make the last leg to the FedEx facility in the district before needing to charge. The film crew captures footage of Marlin delivering the packages to the employee.

The total distance is eight more miles than the rating. I am an impartial observer for BrightDrop's submission to the Guinness World Records. The submission was accepted by the spokesman. Quick turn around!

A real FedEx employee wanders over to the van and thinks he is working with a co-worker. William Jones has been driving for the company for 30 years. He checks out the cab and cargo area after getting a primer. He has seen enough. He is ready to go electric.

He tells me that he can retire in three years.

The crew is happy. They film his every move and have him sign a waiver so they can use his image in their reel. Jones shrugs. Why didn't you? He is retiring soon.