GM Announces New Fleet Charging Service Designed to Accelerate the Adoption of Fleet Electrification
Ultium Charge 360, one of the industry’s most comprehensive approaches to charging, will now also connect fleet customers to services, resources and access to preferred charging providers
2021-07-15
DETROIT – General Motors and BrightDrop, a new business created and wholly owned by GM that is reimagining commercial delivery and logistics for an all-electric future, today announced the Ultium Charge 360 fleet charging service, a comprehensive approach designed to help make the switch to electric seamless for fleet customers by connecting them with services, features and resources.
The Ultium Charge 360 fleet service will be one of the industry’s most holistic solutions offering, where available:
- Fleet and facility management tools
- Integration with both GM’s fleet management solution, OnStar Vehicle Insights, and the BrightDrop fleet and asset management platform
- Support for a wide range of fleet segments, including delivery, sales, utilities and motor pool
The comprehensive solution will help new and existing fleet customers identify providers, tools and solutions required to plan, finance, deploy and operate charging infrastructure in fleet yards and depots.
In addition, Ultium Charge 360’s holistic approach to charging will help to enable support for home charging and provide drivers access to more than 60,000 public places to charge while en route. As part of the solution, GM is working with preferred providers, including four depot infrastructure providers – eTransEnergy, a Duke Energy company; EVgo; In-Charge Energy; and Schneider Electric. GM is also expanding existing commercial relationships with Qmerit for home charging and EVgo for public and depot charging to provide fleet owners the flexibility to choose a charging solution that best suits their needs.
“Fleets have a significant impact on the transition to EVs and by expanding Ultium Charge 360 to our fleet customers, GM aims to be a significant industry leader to advance fleet EV adoption at scale and accelerate our goal of reaching 1 million EV sales globally by 2025,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, GM Fleet. “Fleet electrification is an important element of our growth strategy, and we will leverage our leadership and expertise in this space to support customers at home, at depots and in public with our suite of providers.”
Through Ultium Charge 360, GM Fleet, OnStar Business Solutions (where available) and BrightDrop customers will be able to customize plans and select from preferred providers for their fleet electrification needs in the United States and Canada. eTransEnergy, EVgo, In-Charge Energy and Schneider Electric will offer access to on-the-go and depot charging. Customers can also leverage GM’s existing work with Qmerit to help provide in-home installations for fleet drivers, making charging accessible for a range of fleet applications.
“Through Ultium Charge 360, BrightDrop fleet operators will be able to access tools and resources that will help accelerate their transition to sustainable all-electric delivery fleets,” said Travis Katz, president and CEO, BrightDrop. “This is a turning point for our industry. Our commercial delivery customers are seeking innovative approaches to lower their operating costs as they electrify their fleets. Ultium Charge 360 is the latest innovation to enable BrightDrop, together with our customers, to help decarbonize the last mile.”
“Commercial fleets will soon have more confidence and convenience when it comes to electrifying their fleet,” said Alex Keros, GM lead architect, EV Infrastructure. “Expanding charging infrastructure is a critical part of our work toward an all-electric future and with our preferred providers, we expect to be able to offer our customers charging, software and product solutions that fit their business needs.”
The new Ultium Charge 360 fleet solution combines GM fleet and charging expertise with the services of preferred providers to help accelerate the adoption of fleet electrification.
- eTransEnergy
“We are pleased GM has included eTransEnergy among its preferred providers to help customers navigate the journey of fleet electrification,” said Greg Fields, eTransEnergy vice president. “As a Duke Energy company, eTransEnergy offers a lower-risk solution for commercial fleets to help realize the benefits of reduced emissions, better performance and lower operating costs.”
- EVgo
“EVgo is excited to expand our EV collaboration with GM into our Fleet Solutions offering, providing a seamless and convenient reliable charging experience for fleet operators looking to electrify,” stated Jonathan Levy, chief commercial officer at EVgo. “EVgo is committed to providing fleet operators with a diverse portfolio of L2 and fast charging options, including dedicated depots and public charging facilities, to speed the transition and maximize the benefits of electrification.”
- In-Charge Energy
“We are incredibly proud to play an important role in GM’s fleet electrification and we’re excited to support the Ultium Charge 360 program,” said Cameron Funk, CEO of In-Charge Energy. “While we are solely focused on fleet electrification at In-Charge, we recognize the larger impact of a global brand like GM actually executing on a truly all-inclusive commitment to an electrified future and applaud their dedication. Commercial fleet turnover is a big part of that future, not just passenger vehicles.”
- Schneider Electric
“We are proud to be a GM preferred provider, facilitating their commitment to electrification and providing a seamless experience for their fleet customers. As the most sustainable company in the world1, we share their commitment to make the most of our energy resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all,” said Annette Clayton, CEO and president, Schneider Electric North America. “We are excited to offer our unique power systems expertise, allowing us to provide fleet customers with a comprehensive, end-to-end EV infrastructure solution incorporating utility rate negotiation and modeling, software integration and a cybersecurity architecture, all from a single provider.”
- Qmerit
“The GM Fleet business footprint is really like no other in the industry and supporting their customers through the electrification journey is a privilege for Qmerit. We look forward to adding value to their comprehensive offerings for both small and large fleets in North America,” said Tracy K. Price, chairman and CEO of Qmerit.
Ultium Charge 360 builds on the technology that is helping to power GM’s EV future – the Ultium Platform. The expansion of Ultium Charge 360 for fleets is an example of GM driving acceleration and adoption of fleet electrification, unlocking new growth opportunities for the company. Fleet customers can begin working with preferred providers today.
1According to Corporate Knights 2021 Global 100 Index https://www.corporateknights.com/reports/2021-global-100/top-company-profile-schneider-electric-leads-decarbonizing-megatrend25289-16115328/
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.
###
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements: This press release and related comments by management may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are any statements other than statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements represent our current judgement about possible future events and are often identified by words such as “anticipate,” “appears,” “approximately,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “designed,” “effect,” “estimate,” “evaluate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “initiative,” “intend,” “may,” “objective,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “priorities,” “project,” “pursue,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “when,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of any of those words or similar expressions. In making these statements, we rely upon assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments, as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances. We believe these judgements are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any future events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of factors, many of which are described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or other factors that affect the subject of these statements, except where we are expressly required to do so by law.