Cami lands rental giant Hertz as customer list grows for new electric van

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Cami Assembly and the electric-powered cargo van it will assemble have racked up another win.

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Cami lands rental giant Hertz as customer list grows for new electric van Back to video

Hertz, the U.S. vehicle rental company, will order electric vans from the Ingersoll plant, part of a push to electrify the company’s entire fleet.

“The orders keep coming in and the future looks good,” said Mike Van Boekel, chairperson of Unifor Local 88, the union representing workers. “Hopefully, we’ll be good for decades here.”

General Motors officials say Hertz will add 175,000 electric vehicles over five years and the BrightDrop cargo vans made at Cami will be part of the order, which will also include cars and sport utility vehicles.

Hertz joins Walmart, FedEx, Verizon and Merchants Fleet, a fleet management company in the U.S., as customers for the Cami-made vans.

“There’s a lot of interest and now we just want get back to work,” said Van Boekel.

Cami is retooling for BrightDrop production, a $1-billion investment, and many workers will return when assembly begins in December. They have been off work since May.

“Our work with Hertz is a huge step forward for emissions reduction and EV adoption that will help create thousands of new EV customers for GM,” GM chief executive Mary Barra said in a statement. “With the vehicle choice, technology and driving range we’re delivering, I’m confident that each rental experience will further increase purchase consideration for our products and drive growth for our company.”

GM Canada could not be reached for comment.

Cami will assemble the BrightDrop Zevo 600, a large cargo van, and a smaller version, the Zevo 410. Both will travel about 400 kilometres on a charge. BrightDrop now has more than 25,000 reservations for Zevo vans, according to GM.

Cami now has just a handful of workers as well as skilled trades employed in the retooling of the plant. In December, about 700 workers are expected to be recalled and the balance of the workforce will return throughout 2023.

The plant employs about 1,500. GM Canada has stated it anticipates hiring as orders grow.

“It’s exciting that two iconic American companies that have shaped the evolution of transportation for more than a century are coming together to redefine the future of mobility in the 21st century,” Stephen Scherr, Hertz chief executive, said in a statement.

“We are thrilled to partner with GM on this initiative, which will dramatically expand our EV offering to Hertz customers, including leisure and business travellers, rideshare drivers and corporates.”

Hertz’s goal is for one-quarter of its fleet to be electric by the end of 2024.

ndebono@postmedia.com