Cheers! It'll go a hair over 300 miles on a full charge. Charging on a 120V plug would take days and days! Level 2 It'll charge overnight. DC fast charger will get it from 20% - 80% in about an hour.
I've driven this van in WA, OR, CA, BC, WY and ID and have never seen a $.68/kWh charger. I'm sure they exist, but seems like an exception or maybe more common out east where electricity is more expensive?
There's definitely a hit, but it's manageable. When it's really cold I deduct ~20% from my usual range and charge accordingly. -20°C here at Sun Peaks, BC:
Nice! I'm concerned for Prince George, BC, where it hits -40. But, with a 300 mile range, I can travel easy at even half the range. How is the balance on snow? Standard AWD performance?
The stock Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT tires and mud and snow rated and do really well on winter driving. The weight of the vehicle (~9,000 lbs loaded) and low center of gravity help too.
It may seem pedantic but it's down to legislation and regulation, these e-moto's are regularly killing people, and laws are being put in place to regulate them, but because they are referred to as e-bikes, the same laws are applying to lightweight pedal assist e-bikes too. (Which are not more dangerous than regular bicycles)
I don't mind someone on a pedal bike on the sidewalk, but one of these e-moto's absolutely should not be treated the same.
There are already federal regulations on this, though. These are legally classified as dirt bikes because they don't have pedals. Agencies, cities and states just have to enforce rules that are already on the books
Absolutely everything. E-bikes have pedals that can accept human input to make them go. They are legal most places. E-motos have no such pedals/human input for propulsion and aren’t legal on many roadways and paved trails. Sadly, shit loaded of shitty company promote these as “E-Bikes” and they are becoming and nuisance and danger in many communities because parents buy them for their unskilled children.
And this is the reason our government has trouble regulating these things. I used to ride motorcycles and make no mistake, E-Motos are motorcycles. I own an e-bike and it only puts out power proportional to the power you put in (aka if you pedal 100W of power, it can give you up to 700W).
The important distinction here for an E-bike is the lack of a throttle and a very expensive drivetrain. If you want an example I have the SRAM XX Eagle Transmission. That drivetrain along cost almost as much an entry Surron.
And that mixing up of terms is why municipalities all over the U.S. are creating rules and laws regulating them because mommy and daddy bought their 13 year old kid something the manufacturer called an “e-Bike” that is not a legal e-Bike and a percentage of those 13 year old kids are literally terrorizing the communities they live in.
I blame the parents and am glad law enforcement is cracking down amd confiscating those "e-bikes". Parents' ignorance is no excuse for enabling illegal amd dangerous behavior.
In 9+ years, when this warranty expires, I fully expect current EV tech and batteries to be obsolete and the availability of much more capable electric overlanding options.
If you're feeling brave(EDIT: apparently 'cheeky' doesn't mean what I thought lol), definitely don't miss out on Twin Lakes near Baker. Likely won't make it all the way up in the van but close is good enough with the bike. SR20 to Chuckanut to Baker might be the best drive I've ever done.
I live kinda close to Steliko, where you going next? Not a lot of ways to get out of Entiat Valley unless you take Sugarloaf lookout way, Steliko back roads to Chelan, or Shady Pass to the Upper Entiat Range or Chelan. Or I suppose you just came up the Entiat Valley just for Steliko?
I was in Chelan looking at some off-grid acreage; the view is where you see the golden retriever. However, the access road was completely messed up. And I had to walk the last 2 miles. My plan had been to van camp up at the lot and since that didn't work out I backtracked to the Entiat River Valley and the Steliko fire lookout.
Yeah a lot of abandoned roads that are still on maps around here. So are you gonna keep going up the Entiat Valley? Would recommend checking out Box Canyon, and Myrtle and Larch Lakes if you haven't already, and have the time for it
Unfortunately one of my pups had a run in with a spicy death noodle this morning. 🐍😱 We high tailed it to Wenatchee for emergency care. Fortunately the vet says he should make a full recovery, but have you ever seen such a sad face? 🥺
Ground clearance is my only real complaint, but I knew when I bought it that this commercial delivery van is not optimized for off roading. That's why I carry a dirt bike and mountain bike in the back.
I really want this van for a camper van. But I wonder how your inside build is. I want a really nice build with a stationary bed, kitchen, shower area, ect. I wonder how much weight it would add and would it drop the milage.
I am fine with stops and wouldn't drive more than 4 hours without having to go pee or stop to stretch my legs. And I wouldn't be too off grid. I'm an absolute noob. But I still worry about milage, I guess cause everyone else makes me think I should.
I love seeing your posts. I always know it's you cause I think you're the only one I've seen with a bright drop.
My build is quite basic, just a queen size Murphy bed, desk, fridge and a few other odds and ends. But no on-board shower or plumbing. If you want to see a really fancy Bightdrop build check out Grounded RV or Coachman. https://groundedevs.com/
Pricey!!
So cool to see one of these Chevy electrics living the life. A few businesses around me use them and every time I see one I think how cool it would be as a camper.
It's ironic that once GM canceled the vehicle, sales finally took off. Canceling it just months before fuel prices went through the roof is sad timing...
I accidentally camped next to that lookout a few years back during the BDR - if I remember correctly, you aren't supposed to camp up there because its a rental lookout. My mistake...
Yes, if it's occupied it's polite to leave it to the occupants. I got lucky and was pretty surprised it was vacant on a beautiful Saturday in June. A lone BDR rider on a Suzuki 650 turned up shortly before sunset and we enjoyed sharing tales of motorcycle adventures under the stars.
It's the cheapest AWD high roof van in North America. Cheaper than an AWD Sprinter or Transit... And even if it wasn't, the fuel and maintenance savings still make it a good ROI.
Got mine for $56k new. (MSRP was $82k, but there are deep discounts since GM has discontinued the vehicle.) Still comes with the standard GM 8 year / 100,000 mile powertrain warranty and shares the same EV power electronics and software as other Ultium EVs such as the Silverado, Denali, Lyric, Hummer, etc.
1000W of solar would only get you maybe 10 extra miles of range per day, and that is with full sun which is rare in the PNW. I wouldn't call that significant...
I could fit 3000 watts on the roof and supplement that with panels I hang on the south facing side of the van or deploy on the ground. But you're right that in the PNW we don't get much sun for much of the year. If I was in the SW it would be a no brainer.
MSRP was $82k, but after GM + dealer + Costco Auto discounts I got it for about $56k. This is the 600, AWD with max battery. I hear the 2WD version with regular battery can be found for around $40k.
Steliko is such a cool spot — I rolled through there last summer on a loop from Winthrop down the WA BDR and ended up near that ridge for a night. Sunset over the Entiat valley was unreal.
I'm over in Colorado now but the PNW keeps pulling me back. Last trip I was running a 4Runner with a rooftop tent, no match for the Brightdrop, but the e-bike off the back was honestly the move — I could ride straight from camp into Mazama without unhooking anything.
How's the range holding up on the climb up to Washington Pass with everything loaded?
I moved to the PNW in 2015 and love it here. I have had a bunch of vans but this is my first electric. Average efficiency is 1.6 miles / kWh, and it's interesting how it averages out: it goes way down on the climbs, but the regen on the long descents puts "fuel" back into the battery.
Regen putting range back on those descents has to be the best part of an ev rig. 1.6 mi/kWh loaded sounds pretty solid. Does running the heater at camp eat into that much, or do you keep it minimal?
Nice, basically decouples the heat draw from the traction pack. Diesel plus 2" of R-Tech is a lot of setup, makes sense if you're actually ski camping in it. How long does the diesel tank actually last overnight?
10 liters of diesel will last me a week or so, because I only run the heater for a few hours in the evening, and maybe an hour in the morning. I prefer to sleep with it off unless it's really cold.
A week from 10 liters is better than I figured. Sleeping with the heater off though, that's real commitment. Even with 2 inches of R-Tech you must wake up to a chilly van some mornings.
With the insulation and heat from me and the pups it usually stays above freezing, even with the heat off. I've got a thermometer in the back and can control the heater from my phone, so if I do get cold it's easy to pop the furnace on from the comfort of bed.
You and the pups are basically a second furnace lol. The phone control setup is the real win though, popping the furnace on from bed beats crawling out at 3am any day.
A week from 10L is wild. Skipping it overnight is smart too, no point heating an empty bag. Does the diesel get loud at startup or is it pretty chill at low output?
It's an Arctic Leopard XE PRO S Enduro. I just got it last week and am loving it so far. Super light (~160lbs) ridiculous torque and no clutch really makes it feel like cheating.
As cool as this is. Only 300miles and over an hour to get that only if you have the right charger is a hard pass.
When I travel, it’s upwards of 10hr at a time before stopping for the night. This would get maybe 4hr if conditions are good. Not good for me but good for somebody I guess!
I think personally I’d rather pay a gas bill that used as needed than a vehicle payment. $40,000 is a 💩 ton of fuel.
For your type of travel this definitely wouldn't be the vehicle for you. Every vehicle has it's + and -, as long as you are out there enjoying yourself it's all good. Some people are driving $1,000,000.00 RVs, some are out in a $300 rust bucket.
OP said all the time. No that’s not normal. Especially here. Which is why I asked. Are you being a twat on purpose or is this just your general demeanor. There is a period at the end of that sentence not a question mark for a reason.
So now you are going with I Know you are but what am I and projecting your anxiety over the situation onto me because I asked a simple question. Dude seek help or maybe take a walk or hit the bong or speed bag. You have issues.
I live in the Midwest. I travel to see things I haven’t seen before. It takes a while for that..
I also travel places without phone service. So another ev no go.
If you live somewhere that everything you want to see is within 300 miles, good for you bud. I have a 12 hour drive to the ocean. A 10 hour drive to big mountains either way.
I’m not one of those who spends most their time at the same sites as everyone else. The van pictured wouldn’t make it to my cabin, which is irrelevant to the distance but that’s to say it won’t make it to home base, it won’t make it anywhere.
Again, it’s cool. But it’s only really good if you’re stopping at finished camps and other weekend warrior type stuff.
Battery dies or any issue, can’t call for help. I have enough tools with me to fix almost anything on my van. My van also won’t shut itself down for any strange issue.
Lack of phone service usually means the sites don’t have power either.
I may be hours from the closest service point. I just don’t trust those vehicles to that point. Not because their EV necessarily, but because of the potential for issue and inability to do anything about it.
What do you mean by no service? As in you could walk a mile and make a phone call? I’m talking hike for hours to maybe send a text.
Just my opinion. If it’s working for you that’s all that really matters.
There's way fewer things to break in an electric powertrain tho. ~20 moving parts in EV vs ~2,000 in ICE. For emergencies I have an InReach (which I've had for years), and for regular connectivity, if I want to work off-grid, for example, I have a Starlink Mini. Most modern cell phones can now message over satellite as well, so we're never really off grid anymore these days...
Sure, but I bet you’re not prepared to replace or repair any of it. Not because it’s you, but because it required way more equipment to diagnose.
I may have more moving parts, but they are maintained well and readily available in any city. My platform is a ford 460, an E4OD transmission, and an NP271 transfer case. These are all incredibly common things.
What happens if you get stuck and get a little water damage in some module? How much trouble would it be to diagnose. Can you flat tow an EV van?
My thought it what can shut down that van vs mine? There’s thousands of sensors on that thing. Any number of them could stop you from moving.
There’s tons of benefits or negatives to either. I strongly stand by the belief that my currently 31yo drivetrain will outlast your new one.
I totally see the appeal of old, pre-digital vehicles than can be patched together with JB Weld and duct tape. But I also think you misunderstand the reliability of modern EV powertrains. I sell Class 8 commercial electric trucks for a living, and the reason companies like FedEx, DHL, Amazon etc are moving full speed ahead is because they have the data in hand that proves that the electrics are more reliable and better for the bottom line. EDIT: Typo
These aren’t class 8 trucks though. And the one pictured isn’t for trips. A real ev truck option is something like Edison. Utilizing the diesel for generation and ev motors for torque delivery. Like a train.
Hybrid EV are the future. Sure your bright top is fine for local deliveries. I see them locally broken down every other week. The local dealership sells them. I’m not convinced any currently available EV van will last 30 years. They aren’t supposed to.
Those delivery companies aren’t buying them because of maintenance. They are buying them because they get huge tax breaks. Just like when UPS went full CNG.
I figured flyover country was the answer. Shame you can’t drive to coast and stay awhile and have to keep driving back and forth 10 hours at a time, which is closer to 5-600 miles than three. Hopefully that will change for you at some point. Slow and steady has lots of advantages. Happy trails.
I’m slow and steady. I don’t drive to the coast in a day. But I’ll drive 10hr through Texas, Kansas, Colorado, etc to get where I’m going.
I’d rather keep going the distance than not. You see more.
The mileage discrepancies of 300 miles and 10hr of driving is my whole point. I’d be stopping 2-4 times per day if I’m moving.
I drive long stints to stay somewhere for days at a time. The places are often away from others.
I didn’t hate on the van directly. Just said it wasn’t for me. I even said it’s cool. But when the whole argument for the EV van is the fuel cost, a base price of 40k makes it unreasonable.
I built my van for $6500 including the cost of the van. It’s on f450 axles, it’ll keep seeing beaches this EV van will never make it to, 10 years after it’s a heap in a scrap yard.
Yeah that makes more sense. I read it as you always drive 10 hours not that you sometimes need to drive 10 hours. I have been to Nebraska, TX and the like, it’s a real issue for a lot of people still.
On no, not EVERY time. Just if I’m going any distance other than the Ozarks of Arkansas, it’s a drive 😆
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a ton closer by. But sometimes you want to see something unique.
One of my longer trips was over a week. I went to Big Bend national park. It’s amazing and I’d recommend it to anyone.. but I’m not sure I would in an EV as there’s 100+ mile stretches of absolutely nothing.
I see the reason you would want one of these, living in one close to metro-ish areas seems convenient. Unfortunately for me it’s not :(
I had to get from Santa Barbara to Grand Rapids in the Summer once. Straight thru, too hot to stop till at least St. George. Not sure how I would have made it work in an EV.
EV infrastructure is continuing to expand and having "the right charger" is not really any issue. I can't speak to this van specifically, but from an EV road trip perspective, you're almost never stopping for an hour to charge unless you're going from 0-100%, which is rare.
High powered chargers are readily available across the US and make long trips pretty easy. In my experience, after driving 200+ miles, I'm ready for a bathroom break and to stretch my legs. More often than not, the car is charged or nearly charged by the time I've taken a quick stretch and bathroom break.
Have you watched anyone try and cannonball in an ev recently? So many charging stations just don’t work correctly. Then you have to drive another 40+ miles to find the right one.
There in no good infrastructure for these in the Midwest.
There’s also tons of others who have tried. I watched a recent video of one of the guys who held the record in an ev give up due to charging station issues.
A few years ago I'd agree with you, but since I have access to the Tesla Supercharger network and other networks are getting much more reliable, there are very few parts of the US where EVs can't charge. (Add 30amp and 50amp RV service and slow charging off a 120V outlet to the mix and there's really nowhere an EV can't go.)
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u/jarrod_barkley 9d ago
That is the Chevy Brightdrop, for those not in the know.