GM and Kroger launching ‘innovative’ electric grocery cart
General Motors is going from electric cars to electric carts.
The automaker is launching a battery-powered cart designed for grocery delivery services.
The device is being marketed under GM’s new BrightDrop brand, which sells its new all-electric commercial vans and associated technology.
The BrightDrop Trace Grocery features nine temperature-controlled drawers and is weatherproofed for four-season use.
Its propulsion system can handle loads up to 350 pounds and reach speeds of 3 mph.
The compartments are lockable, and the cart can be integrated into a store’s app, so it can be left for a customer to retrieve their own purchases using a verification code.
Kroger has been testing the Trace, which is expanding to other retailers and will be widely available in 2024.
“COVID has driven a dramatic increase in online grocery shopping, and fulfilling these orders profitably has become a major challenge for retailers of all sizes. With the Trace Grocery, we saw an opportunity to help companies like Kroger tackle these challenges head on,” BrightDrop President and CEO Travis Katz said in a press release.
“As online shopping continues to grow, BrightDrop is committed to developing innovative solutions to help our customers keep pace. The Trace Grocery is a perfect example of this.”
Along with the Trace, BrightDrop has begun deliveries of its Zevo electric van, which has a range of up to 250 miles per charge and is currently in use by several companies including FedEx.
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