USPS is lastly rolling out its much-anticipated Subsequent Technology Supply Automobiles (NGDVs), and the primary fleet of them to enter service in Atlanta, Georgia is incomes rave opinions from supply drivers based on 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 variety of forwards and backwards, USPS lastly settled on a contract with Oshkosh in 2021, however the unique plan solely included some 10% electrical vans. The overwhelming majority of the acquisition would nonetheless encompass 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 impress the fleet – as was considered one 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 at last 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 an enormous contract already handed out to Ford for 9,250 E-Transits.
In fact, as we’ve develop into acquainted with on this complete 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 constructive 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 So each mail truck on the highway at the moment is at the least 30 years outdated.
And people outdated autos undergo from myriad issues. Not solely do they solely get 9 miles per gallon, they’re additionally noisy, smelly (I’ve to shut my window daily when the mail truck comes round), don’t have any air-con, exhausting to face up in, and their solely security characteristic is mirrors that consistently fall out of alignment. AP additionally factors out that just about 100 LLVs caught hearth final yr – a typical occasion in terms of inside combustion autos.
The NGDVs enhance on the outdated LLVs in each considered one of these features. They’re extra environment friendly, not noisy or smelly, have air-con, permit drivers to face up and stroll by means of the car to get packages, and are chock stuffed with security options each for the driving force and to assist improve security of different highway customers like pedestrians, cyclists, pet canine, and so forth. The NGDVs have around-view cameras, 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 bundle space helps him keep away from again ache by not having to crouch. And mail provider union chief Brian Renfroe stated there’s a variety of pleasure amongst postal staff in regards to the new autos.
Electrek’s Take
USPS 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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