Ryder has announced plans to introduce 4,000 BrightDrop Zevo 600 and Zevo 400 electric vans to its lease and rental fleet through 2025, with the first 200 to be ordered this year.
According to Tom Havens, President of Fleet Management Solutions for Ryder, the company aims to make fleet electrification as seamless as possible by investing in alternative vehicle solutions to offer sustainable and economic advantages for its customers. Ryder is at the forefront of identifying advanced and emerging vehicle technology by serving as an extended research and development arm for its customers, he added.
The Zevo 600 and Zevo 400 electric vans offer a range of up to 250 miles on a full charge and can support a payload of up to 1550kg. With cargo capacities of over 17cu-m and 11cu-m, respectively, these electric vans provide the benefits of an electric powertrain with ample cargo space.
Ryder plans to deploy model year 2023 Zevo 600 electric vans in its rental fleet in California, Dallas-Fort Worth, and New York City later this year. The new 2024 Zevo 600 and Zevo 400 models for lease and rental customers are expected to be available as early as summer 2023 and into the first quarter of 2024.
According to Steve Hornyak, Chief Commercial Officer for BrightDrop, electrifying lease and rental vehicles can have a significant impact on transportation-related emissions, and Ryder’s plan to introduce 4,000 of its electric vans to the fleet shows its commitment to sustainable options for customers.
Carlo Rodriguez, Group Director for Advanced Vehicle Technology for Ryder, also expressed excitement about providing additional light-duty EVs in the company’s rental and lease fleets in 2023. At Ryder, the goal is to help customers meet their sustainability, compliance, and operational goals through advanced vehicle technology solutions, and BrightDrop’s electric vans help them achieve just that.
