GM killed Brightdrop - hopefully helps RCV

[KootenayEV]

GM appears to have killed off the Brightdrop EV van. While I'm sad the production has closed at the Ontario plant (I'm Canadian after all), the silver lining might be that Rivian picks up any customers who were considering the GM van. https://electrek.co/2025/10/21/gm-kills-brightdrop-electric-van-production/

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[swflor]

Rivian needs to put a larger battery in the EDV for it to get people’s attention. That’s the only thing the Brightdrop had going for it. 160 miles empty isn’t enough for the price point.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Rivian needs to put a larger battery in the EDV for it to get people’s attention. That’s the only thing the Brightdrop had going for it. 160 miles empty isn’t 0enough for the price point.

Brightdrop also had AWD

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Rivian needs to put a larger battery in the EDV for it to get people’s attention. That’s the only thing the Brightdrop had going for it. 160 miles empty isn’t enough for the price point.

Larger battery couldn’t hurt, except increasing cost and selling price, making it less appealing financially. It’s a last-mile delivery van. 160-ish mile range is generally enough for such intended use.

 

[swflor]

Larger battery couldn’t hurt, except increasing cost and selling price, making it less appealing financially. It’s a last-mile delivery van. 160-ish mile range is generally enough for such intended use.

I get the original intended use. No disagreement from me on that.

But if the trades are a target, which is should be, then trades need more range. Working out of a van with on board power is a huge selling point. Ford lost their ass on the eTransit. Real world range was sub 100miles, and as bad as 60miles if you used a van for the intended purpose (cargo).

The eSpinter is a fantastic van, drives like butter, but range is still only 180miles empty and no AWD.

I’m not the camping type, but people would buy the EDV to convert it if it had AWD and longer range.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Larger battery couldn’t hurt, except increasing cost and selling price, making it less appealing financially. It’s a last-mile delivery van. 160-ish mile range is generally enough for such intended use.

We have about 200 Amazon delivery Rivians here in the Knoxville area. According to the Rivian tech who fixes those and was at my place for mobile service they are relocating about 70 of them because the range isn’t enough for the intended routes through the mountains.

 

[Redmond Chad]

I’m not the camping type, but people would buy the EDV to convert it if it had AWD and longer range.

I am the camping type, and a Rivian owner, and indeed I kept hoping the EDV would get an option for more range.

But they haven't, so i bought an AWD extended-range Chevy Brightdrop converted to a camper van. Other than the noise in the cab at freeway speeds, i like it a lot.

 

[Supratachophobia]

I would call this a win for Rivian because the choices for last mile EV delivery are slimming down.

Article:
https://www.theverge.com/news/803385/gm-chevy-brightdrop-ev-end-production-van-canada

Oh, and you didn't know what a Brightdrop was either?
https://www.chevrolet.com/commercial/brightdrop

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I get the original intended use. No disagreement from me on that.

But if the trades are a target, which is should be, then trades need more range. Working out of a van with on board power is a huge selling point. Ford lost their ass on the eTransit. Real world range was sub 100miles, and as bad as 60miles if you used a van for the intended purpose (cargo).

The eSpinter is a fantastic van, drives like butter, but range is still only 180miles empty and no AWD.

I’m not the camping type, but people would buy the EDV to convert it if it had AWD and longer range.

Examine ramifications objectively… From Rivian’s POV adding cells to increase range has what consequences? Those cells are already a significant portion of total vehicle cost. Adding more, you are forced to set higher selling price. What else does it add? Weight. The more you add the less you get out of each. Diminishing returns. Is there enough room to add enough cells to get max range to a more usable 270 mi or more? Now examine what this means for the consumer. Congrats, you’ve bought a RCV with decent range at a very high price. Now the conversion, which adds 2100-2700 more pounds (referencing unconverted Sprinter to Winnebago Revel). Well, rats. You’ve just completely offset all those expensive batteries.

The van is already north of 70k. You probably have to double the pack size to reach desired range. Now the price, unconverted, is six figures. Converted, well over 200k. Unconverted diesel Sprinter has similar starting price. Winnebago Revel is about $170k+. Who is going to buy a Rivian camper van over a Revel (which has range of over 400 mi)?

It should be clear that a electric conversion van could be feasible if battery energy density increases dramatically and at much reduced cost. And right now who has the most capability to produce high density batteries at lower cost? China. Need I say more? Fantasy, meet reality. Queue car crash sound effects.

 

[beatle]

Hopefully a win and not a harbinger of doom. The Brightdrop and Rivian's EDV are smoked by the eTransit on price. From the article:

The van was a range leader, but also was more expensive than its most prominent competitor. Brightdrop’s vans started at $74,000, while Ford’s E-Transit van with extended battery range sold for $51,600.​

​

I know very little about the differences between Ford and Rivian's vans, but I have to assume the Rivian offering is superior in many ways to justify the price difference. I then wonder what business would value those advantages enough to pony up 50% more?

 

[BigSkies]

I get the original intended use. No disagreement from me on that.

But if the trades are a target, which is should be, then trades need more range. Working out of a van with on board power is a huge selling point. Ford lost their ass on the eTransit. Real world range was sub 100miles, and as bad as 60miles if you used a van for the intended purpose (cargo).

The eSpinter is a fantastic van, drives like butter, but range is still only 180miles empty and no AWD.

I’m not the camping type, but people would buy the EDV to convert it if it had AWD and longer range.

I don't think you're going to get the ~300 mile range in an economically feasibly package. That rules out a camper option.

But I think the market gets materially bigger for trades and longer routes with a 200-225 mile version. Particularly dealing with rural deliveries, cold climates, etc.

 

[Nixapatfan]

The killing of this van is probably not a good sign for the EDV it's more like an indicator saying that market is not worth competing in as I assume most of the customer base disappeared with the scrapping of EPA fines. No incentive to go green if it costs them more to do so and less convenient.

 

[Dark-Fx]

The killing of this van is probably not a good sign for the EDV it's more like an indicator saying that market is not worth competing in as I assume most of the customer base disappeared with the scrapping of EPA fines. No incentive to go green if it costs them more to do so and less convenient.

It maybe wouldn't have gotten cancelled if it wasn't being built in Canada. The new import tariffs are quite ridiculous. GM seems to be trying to get out of CA as much as possible.

 

[Tony de Veyra]

I am the camping type, and a Rivian owner, and indeed I kept hoping the EDV would get an option for more range.

But they haven't, so i bought an AWD extended-range Chevy Brightdrop converted to a camper van. Other than the noise in the cab at freeway speeds, i like it a lot.

Did you do the build out yourself on the Brightdrop? How much did it cost ?

 

[Redmond Chad]

I bought it converted from Grounded RVs. They had options, and things have changed with tariffs, but I paid 180k for the van plus conversion.

There are many on brightdropforum building them out themselves.

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