What this Ontario contractor loves about the BrightDrop vehicle that GM cancelled

Eight weeks after adding a GM BrightDrop van to the fleet of his plumbing and heating business, Marty Salliss has no complaints, only praise.

Well, maybe only one complaint: That he may not be able to get another one.

"It's an easy vehicle to drive, and actually it's a really fun vehicle," said Salliss, whose company is about to celebrate 25 years doing business in London. "As a service truck, it's been phenomenal."

Salliss leased a BrightDrop 400 in October, the same month General Motors announced they would no longer produce the electric delivery vehicle at the CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ont.

It was devastating news for the community and for the 1,200 workers who now face an uncertain future.

In explaining the company's decision to stop making the BrightDrop, GM cited lower-than-expected demand and changing market conditions.

For Salliss, though, the Canadian-made vehicle has been a perfect fit for his fleet.

'So ugly it's cute'

Although the BrightDrop was designed as a last-mile delivery vehicle, Salliss thought it would make an excellent service van, and he was right.

"I like to say that it's so ugly, it's cute, I just really wanted to try it out," he said.

He worked with Woodfield Canada to equip the van with custom racks to store all the plumbing parts that might be required on a service call.

There's room for his tools and enough floor space for a 60-gallon water heater, bathtub or any other large fixture he might be called to install.

"One thing that's big in our industry, when you get to a job, you want to make sure you have everything you need. This truck has space for all that," he said. "Constantly running to the wholesaler is not efficient."

The van is sure-footed in the snow and easy to park due to its array of cameras that display multiple angles on the high-tech dashboard.

Another key advantage is the vehicle's fuel efficiency and range. On Thursday, after a day of driving to service calls in London, he was able to travel up to Goderich on an emergency call without recharging.

"When I got back to the shop, it had 32 per cent power," said Salliss. He estimates its range at about 500 kilometres per charge, and he can recharge the van in a few hours.

Salliss said part of the BrightDrop's appeal for him was that it was built down the road in Ingersoll. He has friends who work at the plant.

"The community is huge in what we are," he said. "It was a major part of this decision, knowing they would be built in Ingersoll."

Salliss leased his BrightDrop from Finch Auto in London. The company has a web page listing the BrightDrop, both the 400 and the larger 600 model, as available for purchase.

In a statement to CBC News, a GM spokesperson said 25 dealers in Canada will continue to sell existing vehicle inventory and service BrightDrop vehicles. They did not say how long the supply is expected to last.

"I wish they were making more, I would definitely get another one," said Salliss. "I'm disappointed I can't do this again. I want to buy Canadian and buy locally as much as I can. I know some people who work at the plant, there's a lot of pride in these vehicles."

Union sees missed opportunity

Mike Van Boekel, chairperson of the union representing CAMI workers, isn't surprised to hear the vehicle getting a good review from a local contractor.

"The drivers love them and they went over well for the people who bought them," he said. "Unfortunately, they might have been ahead of their time, and GM may have pulled the plug early."

He feels GM may have missed an opportunity to expand the market for the BrightDrop by focusing on big-fleet customers, such as Purolator and DHL.

"Every town has small businesses that have five or 10 delivery trucks and these would have been perfect for that," said Van Boekel. "It could have been a huge market."

According to a poll of Motor Trend readers, the BrightDrop ranked third in voting for truck of the year, even though it's not really a truck and it is, in the words of the magazine's writers, a "dead van rolling."

Van Boekel said he remains hopeful that a vehicle can be made at the CAMI plant.

He sees the BrightDrop's reviews as evidence the workers there can make an excellent product. He's been in negotiations with GM and various government officials to find a solution to keep the plant operating. He said it's a work in progress.

"I'm not throwing the towel in yet," he said. "You never know what could happen in the future."