USPS is lastly rolling out its much-anticipated Subsequent Technology Supply Autos (NGDVs), and the primary fleet of them to enter service in Atlanta, Georgia is incomes rave evaluations from supply drivers in response to an AP report.
The method of electrifying Submit Workplace autos has been lengthy within the making, with bids and proposals reaching again to the mid-2010s.
After a whole lot of backwards and forwards, USPS lastly settled on a contract with Oshkosh in 2021, however the authentic plan solely included some 10% electrical vehicles. The overwhelming majority of the acquisition would nonetheless include 8.6mpg fuel guzzlers.
So the back-and-forth continued, with Congressional committee hearings, lawsuits, and the Senate (and, in fact, we right here at Electrek) all pushing corrupt Postmaster DeJoy into making an actual dedication to affect the fleet – as was one in every of President Biden’s first commitments in workplace.
All this stress resulted within the USPS doubling after which doubling once more its buy intent, and eventually committing to 100% BEV purchases after 2026, with solely a small variety of fossil-powered autos to return from Oshkosh earlier than then. USPS will even purchase some variety of off-the-shelf EVs, with a giant contract already handed out to Ford for 9,250 E-Transits.
After all, as we’ve turn into aware of on this entire course of, the rollout of NGDVs was additionally delayed, however now AP is reporting on the primary fleet of USPS EVs, which has simply rolled out in Georgia (the place its first EV charging stations have been put in in January) to very optimistic outcomes.
Drivers love new NGDVs – extra options, extra security, much less stress
The earlier mail truck, the Grumman LLV, was constructed from 1986-1994. So each mail truck on the street at this time is no less than 30 years previous.
And people previous autos endure from myriad issues. Not solely do they solely get 9 miles per gallon, they’re additionally noisy, smelly (I’ve to shut my window each day when the mail truck comes round), don’t have any air con, onerous to face up in, and their solely security characteristic is mirrors that continually fall out of alignment. AP additionally factors out that almost 100 LLVs caught fireplace final 12 months – a standard occasion with regards to inside combustion autos.
The NGDVs enhance on the previous LLVs in each one in every of these points. They’re extra environment friendly, not noisy or smelly, have air con, enable drivers to face up and stroll by way of the automobile to get packages, and are chock filled with security options each for the motive force and to assist enhance security of different street customers. The NGDVs have around-view digital camera, blind spot displays and collision sensors.
AP quoted drivers in its article, with one stating the air con “felt like heaven blowing in my face,” and one other saying the bigger and taller package deal space helps him keep away from again ache by not having to crouch. And mail service union chief Brian Renfroe stated there’s a whole lot of pleasure amongst postal employees concerning the new autos.
Electrek’s Take
PLEASE REPLACE THE POSTAL VEHICLE FOR THE ROUTE THAT GOES TO MY HOUSE. ITS SO SMELLY. IT FAILS TO START EVERY OTHER DAY. USPS PLEEEAAASSSEEE
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