2025 Chevrolet BrightDrop

Overview

Chevy’s EV commercial van is called BrightDrop, and despite its interesting name, this slab-sided beauty is all work and no play. There are 400 and 600 models, with the 600 offering the longest wheelbase and most voluminous interior. Both front- and all-wheel-drive powertrains are also offered, with the latter offering up to 303 miles of driving per charge. Inside, drivers are greeted with a dashboard that looks vastly more modern than the cabin of the antiquated Express van. An 11.3-inch center infotainment screen is supplemented by an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster. Fleet operators may also find the OnStar Telematics service helpful for tracking their vans’ locations, fueling data, in-vehicle expense management, and more. The BrightDrop isn’t the only purpose-built EV cargo van, though, and it faces competition from a growing number of rivals such as the Ford E-Transit, the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter, the Ram ProMaster EV, and the Rivian RCV.

What's New for 2025?

The BrightDrop is a new model for the Chevrolet lineup this year. Originally conceived as a standalone, fleet-supporting EV brand, BrightDrop has been absorbed into the Bow-Tie family and will be sold through participating Chevy dealerships.

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Pricing and Which One to Buy

The BrightDrop is offered in short-wheelbase 400 and long-wheelbase 600 body styles. A larger Max Range battery pack and an optional all-wheel-drive powertrain are also offered. We think springing for the larger battery to unlock maximum range is a smart move, but we'll leave it up to you to decide which wheelbase works best for your business.

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

The base powertrain in the BrightDrop is a front-wheel-drive single-motor setup that makes 240 horsepower, but an all-wheel-drive variant with two electric motors is available and bumps power to a combined 300 ponies. The latter setup gives the BrightDrop an advantage over the E-Transit, which is offered solely with a rear-wheel-drive single-motor powertrain. When we get a chance to test drive the BrightDrop, we’ll update this story with our driving impressions and test results.

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Range, Charging, and Battery Life

According to Chevrolet, the standard battery pack provides up to 180 miles of driving per charge in the 600 model and 178 miles per charge in the 400 model. An optional “Max Range” battery pack is available, but only on all-wheel-drive models, and unlocks a maximum claimed driving range of 303 miles per charge.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Full-size vans such as the Brightdrop are exempt from federal fuel-economy standards. As a result, this van hasn't been tested by the EPA, and Chevy hasn't made its fuel-economy figures available.

Towing and Payload Capacity

The BrightDrop model with the highest payload rating is the front-wheel-drive 400, which is rated to haul up to 3710 pounds of cargo. All-wheel-drive 400s can tote up to 3480 pounds, front-wheel-drive 600 models can haul up to 3350 pounds, and the all-wheel-drive 600 model is rated for up to 3130 pounds.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

While technically a two-seater, the BrightDrop’s second seat is a fold-down jump seat on the passenger’s side. The van is intended to be driven by a single employee, and the wide-opening side door makes popping in and out for deliveries easier than the front-hinged doors on the gas-powered Express van. All BrightDrop models are set up as cargo vans, but there’s a possibility that a people-carrying window van could be offered in the future. The long-wheelbase 600 model offers the most interior space at 615 cubic feet, but the shorter 400 still has plenty of space inside with a maximum 412 cubic feet of storage.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

All BrightDrop models come with an 11.1-inch infotainment touchscreen and a separate 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard. There aren’t a lot of other frills in this commercial van’s tech stack, but GM’s OnStar telematics service can be activated and provides fleet-oriented data solutions, including geofencing alerts, fueling data, remote access, and expense management.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The BrightDrop comes standard with a suite of driver-assistance features that includes automated emergency braking, pedestrian detection, front and rear parking sensors, and automatic high-beam headlamps. For more information about the BrightDrop’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
• Standard front and rear parking sensors

As more information becomes available, we'll update this story with more details about:

• 0–60-MPH Times
• Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

More Features and Specs