For BrightDrop, a division of General Motors that manufactures electric delivery vans, the addition of DHL Express Canada as a customer marked the company’s first foray into an international market.

At the inauguration of General Motors’ CAMI Assembly factory in Ontario on Monday, BrightDrop announced that manufacturing of its Zevo 600 delivery vans (previously named EV600) had begun there as well. Scaled manufacturing of the Zevo 600 is anticipated for January 2023, while that of the Zevo 400 (previously EV410) is scheduled for “late 2023,” with the goal of reaching 50,000 vans yearly by 2025.

DHL is one of many companies that has set aside €7 billion by 2050 to achieve its net-zero goals, and its customers have responded by reserving more than 25,000 Zevo 600s. BrightDrop’s initial U.S. customer is FedEx, and the company has already received 150 automobiles. To accommodate client demand before the CAMI plant opened, the German contractual supplier Kuka AG constructed those vehicles at a location in Michigan.

BrightDrop CEO and President Travis Katz stated in a statement, “Bringing BrightDrop to Canada and commencing manufacturing at CAMI is a key step to enabling EVs at scale, while delivering meaningful results to the world’s greatest brands.” “Our success in expanding internationally is evidence that we can meet the needs of our clients no matter where they are. That global powerhouses like DHL Express Canada have faith in our capabilities is evidenced by their decision to become new customers.

According to BrightDrop, DHL Express Canada will begin using BrightDrop Zevo vans sometime in the first quarter of 2019. In addition to not disclosing how many delivery trucks were booked by DHL, the GM subsidiary also did not disclose a more precise schedule. A representative for BrightDrop said the firm is excited about the prospect of making a significant contribution to DHL’s fleet, of which 60% is expected to be electric by 2030.

DHL will test out BrightDrop’s Trace eCarts and subscription-based software platform in Toronto, with plans to expand to other regions. These smart, electrically propelled carts are meant to aid logistics companies in efficiently transporting multiple packages from van to recipient. The software platform, BrightDrop Core, was introduced at GM’s investor day last month with the intention of giving clients more visibility into their operations.

BrightDrop has stated that it is on track to reach $1 billion in revenue next year, which, if realized, would be a remarkable achievement for such a young company as itself. This has prompted the opening of the Ontario plant. GM invested $800 million to transform the CAMI plant into a high-volume electric vehicle production facility, giving BrightDrop a head start when it began only last year.