There were a number of commercial oriented trucks and vans on display at the 2025 AutoShow. Here’s what F&M discovered…

Each year, in February the auto industry buzzes with excitement for the Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS). For more than 50 years, this expo of everything automotive has drawn people from far and wide to sample the latest vehicles and immerse themselves in the motoring experience. While the vast majority of cars and trucks on display are geared toward a consumer audience, there is also a good representation of vehicles that are highly suited for fleet customers. This year, Autosphere scanned the expanse of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to highlight some of these vehicles for the very first edition of Fleet&Mobility. Here’s what we came across:

Chevrolet BrightDrop was featured prominently on the stand during media day.

 

Chevrolet Bright Drop 400/600
Assembled in Canada (Ingersoll, Ontario) the Chevrolet BrightDrop is built upon General Motors’ Ultium EV platform and was designed from the ground up, as a battery-electric, all-wheel-drive delivery vehicle. It comes in two variations, the BrightDrop 400 and 600. The 400 version boasts a GVWR of 9,990lbs (4531 kg) and a standard range of 276 km (city), 217 km (Highway) or 256 km combined. Maximum range is 488 km(city), 377 km highway or 438 km combined. Chevrolet states maximum charging rate of 160 miles per hour. With a 153.1-inch wheelbase, the BrightDrop 400 boasts a total cargo volume of 412.1 cubic feet and a maximum payload of 3,480 lbs (1579 kg). The BrightDrop 600 boasts a longer wheelbase (183.5-in) and a corresponding increase in cargo volume (614.7 cubic feet). Standard range is slightly improved (293 km city/224 km highway for a combined total of 264 km), while maximum range is identical to its shorter brother. Offered through GM’s Envolve Fleet portfolio of vehicles, the BrightDrop comes with GM Envolve consultative support and fleet services, which includes an EV starter kit to help fleet buyers plan a smooth transition to operation, including turnkey charging solutions, training, as well as a network of EV maintenance experts, plus telematics, data and API Services.

Chevrolet had two variations of its all-electric Silverado EV, an RST consumer version, and this the WT or Work Truck, aimed at fleet customers.

 

Chevrolet Silverado EV
On display at the Chevrolet stand during the 2025 Canadian International AutoShow was the Silverado EV, the ground-up, all electric pickup that’s built off GM’s Ultium platform. For fleet customers, Chevrolet offers the Work Truck or WT which we evaluated back in April 2024 (https://fleetmobility.ca/medium-vehicle/2024-chevrolet-silverado-ev-built-for-work-and-zero-tailpipe-emissions). It features fully independent suspension, four-wheel steering and all-wheel drive via front and rear mounted electric motors. It’s massive 24 module Ultium battery pack gives it a maximum range of 724 km on a single charge and GM says it can tow up to 10,000 lbs behind it. WT models also offer a Tow/Haul mode, along with trailer hitch provisions and an integrated trailer brake controller. Although the WT does come with rubber floors (designed to ease cleaning), it’s well- equipped by fleet truck standards, including a 11-inch centrally mounted touch screen that offers navigation, infotainment, charging information and exterior cameras. In terms of charging capacity, the Silverado EV has several tricks up its sleeve. The first is that even though the truck is built around a 400-volt architecture, the Ultium battery pack offers the option of switching from parallel to series connection, meaning that when hooked up to a fast charger, GM says that 160 km (100 miles) of range can be added in as little as 10 minutes, since in this configuration it can charge up to 350 kW on an 800-volt cycle.

Over at the Ford display, we found the E-Transit, currently North America’s best- selling electric van.

 

Ford E-Transit
Over at the Ford display, in the South Hall of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the eTransit commercial van attracted our interest.  Ford first introduced the Transit to the North American market as a 2015 model and the all-electric E-Transit made its debut in 2020. The regular Transit is Canada’s best-selling commercial van and E-Transit is currently North America’s best-selling electric van. It boasts an estimated range of up to 254 km on a single charge and Ford added enhancements for 2024 including new dual-onboard chargers that promote faster charging. A 15-minute DC fast charge can add up to 107 km of range according to Ford, representing a 49% improvement over the previous battery. A full charge can be achieved in under 7 hours, utilizing the Ford Pro Series 2 80A charging station^. This represents a 22% improvement —compared with the battery found in earlier E-Transits.

Part of the E-Transit’s appeal is the available configurations. It’s offered in two lengths, three body styles and three different roof heights and its electric motors generate the equivalent of 266 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque, providing decent get up and go. With improvements in range, which also make the E-Transit more practical for a variety of uses, including refrigerated delivery, the E-Transit, continues to broaden its appeal and cement its position as a leader in the electric van segment.

2025 Ram 1500
Making another splash at the Canadian International AutoShow was the 2025 Ram 1500, which was named Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year in the U.S. While it looks similar on the outside, the 2025 Ram 1500 has received some significant updates, including freshened front-end styling with a new grille and lights, plus equipment shuffles. For Fleet customers the Tradesman variant (which Autosphere sampled during a visit to Detroit) features a healthy list of standard equipment that includes power windows, adjustable power and heated mirrors, standard AM/FM satellite radio with voice activation control and external digital memory and a choice of quad cab or crew cab configurations and available 6 foot 4-inch box (quad cab only). Under the hood on Tradesman models is a 305 horsepower Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

What’s noticeable about the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup is that there is no HEMI V8 available, instead, the hallowed engine is replaced by a pair of 3.0-litre Hurricane inline sixes, as a nod toward better fuel economy. The top performing twin-turbo version cranks out an impressive 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque and is also backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission. Other new features for 2025 include a 14.5-inch central touch screen that controls multiple functions including navigation, connectivity and infotainment. There’s also the off-road oriented RHO powered by the 540 hp twin-turbo Hurricane six, plus a new topline Tungsten trim level that features, among other things, 24-way power driver and front passenger seats with massage and memory functions, special interior fixtures, plus a high-end Klipsch, Reference Audio system with 23-speakers. There’s also the new Ram 1500 Ramcharger extended range electric pick up, that features a 92 kW/h battery pack, a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine and a 130 kW/h electric generator with front and rear Electric Drive Motors (the former which can be disconnected to freewheel when needed).

Mercedes-Benz eSprinter
Mercedes-Benz returned to the Canadian International AutoShow in 2025 for the first time in five years. The company had a range of vehicles on display, but for fleet customers, one of interest was the latest eSprinter electric cargo van. Although it looks nearly identical to the regular, diesel-powered Sprinter, the all-electric version is a very different beast beneath the skin. At launch in 2023 as a 2024 model, the eSprinter introduced a lithium-ion phosphate battery with a useable capacity of 113 kilowatt hours. Drive comes from a permanent magnet synchronous motor, offered in two power levels, with either 100 or 150 kW/h outputs and delivers the equivalent of 295 lb ft of torque. The eSprinter, like the E-Transit, features an onboard charger and can charge with both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). For fast charging, Mercedes-Benz says that with the 113-kW battery, an 80% charge can be achieved in around 42 minutes. For the North American market, eSprinters are built at company’s facility near Charleston, South Carolina, and for 2025, a smaller battery has been introduced, in an effort to make the eSprinter more affordable. At CIAS, Mercedes-Benz displayed the eSprinter, alongside a regular Sprinter van that had been turned into a custom camper by NOMAD VANZ.