The US Postal Service Doubles the Number of Delivery EVs It’s Purchasing – Roadshow

The Next Generation Delivery Vehicle will be highly functional, if not very stylish.

Oshkosh/USPS

On Thursday, the US Postal Service announced that it’s doubling the number of electric delivery vehicles it plans to purchase. The letter-and-package-handling division of the federal government just placed a $2.98 billion order with the Oshkosh Corporation to acquire some 50,000 Next Generation Delivery Vehicles. Initially, 5,000 of those were to be electrically powered, but now the USPS has increased that number to at least 10,019.

The postal service’s NGDV will be a breath of fresh air for letter carriers. The vehicle promises to be safer, better for the environment and more user friendly than the aptly named Long Life Delivery Vehicle currently in service. The swanky new model will feature amenities like a 360-degree camera system, traction control, air bags(!) and various collision-avoidance systems.

“[We] have determined that increasing our initial electric vehicle purchase from 5,000 to 10,019 makes good sense from an operational and financial perspective,” said Postmaster General and USPS chief executive officer Louis DeJoy in a release shared by the agency. “Many of our 190,000 delivery vehicles on the road are more than 30 years old and lack basic safety features which are standard in most vehicles today.”

The order just announced demonstrates the postal service’s commitment to making electric vehicles a Signiant portion of its fleet “even though the investment will cost more than an internal combustion engine vehicle” DeJoy said. The USPS’ efforts in this area are significant, though some question whether the agency is going far enough. Reuters reports Carolyn Maloney, House Oversight Committee chair, said this electric vehicle order is “still not enough,” as the USPS plans to buy about 80% gasoline-powered delivery vehicles. According to Maloney, the agency “must prioritize the acquisition of electric vehicles or it will be stuck with outdated technology that further pollutes our environment for decades.”

The NGDV is expected to start appearing on postal routes in late 2023. Look for this advanced piece of delivery equipment on mail routes in about a year and a half.