USPS is lastly rolling out its much-anticipated Subsequent Era Supply Autos (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 Put up Workplace automobiles has been lengthy within the making, with bids and proposals reaching again to the mid-2010s.
After a variety 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 impress the fleet – as was considered one of President Biden’s first commitments in workplace.
All this strain 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 automobiles to come back 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.
In fact, as we’ve change into conversant in 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 So each mail truck on the street immediately is a minimum of 30 years outdated.
And people outdated automobiles endure from myriad issues.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 on daily basis when the mail truck comes round), don’t have any air con, onerous to face up in, and their solely security function is mirrors that continuously fall out of alignment. AP additionally factors out that almost 100 LLVs caught fireplace final yr – a typical occasion relating to inside combustion automobiles.
The NGDVs enhance on the outdated LLVs in each considered one of these facets. They’re extra environment friendly, not noisy or smelly, have air con, enable drivers to face up and stroll by means of the car to get packages, and are chock filled with security options each for the driving force and to assist improve security of different street customers. The NGDVs have around-view digicam, blind spot screens 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 mentioned there’s a variety of pleasure amongst postal employees in regards to the new automobiles.
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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