The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced the department is planning to purchase at least 25,000 EVs for their upcoming next-generation vehicle contract.
This 25,000 number is more than double their previous announced number of 10,019.
According to reports by Reuters, USPS is planning to fulfil half of their 50,000 next-generation postal delivery vehicles with EVs. The current next-generation delivery vehicle contract is with Oshkosh Defense.
In addition to the 50,000 next-generation delivery vehicles, USPS is also buying more than 34,500 commercial off-the-shelf delivery vehicles over the next two years.
According to USPS, around 40 per cent of the 84,500 vehicles will be EVs.
In addition to the planned purchases, USPS also stated this:
[USPS] anticipates evaluating and procuring smaller quantities of vehicles over shorter time periods. ..in order to be more responsive to our evolving operational strategy, technology improvements, and changing market conditions.
After their initial announcement of around 10,000 EVs, the USPS was met with lawsuits and high-level pressure.
The United Auto Workers and four environmental groups sued the postal service to block purchasing mainly gas-powered vehicles. The White House and Environmental Protection Agency also urged the USPS to reconsider their mainly gas-powered purchase.
It is unclear if the UAW lawsuit is still going ahead with today’s announcement from USPS.
Canada Post also has big ambitions to go electric with plans to convert their entire 14,000 vehicle fleet to EVs by 2040, with an interim target of 50% by 2030. Their first electric delivery vans from an unnamed supplier are expected to arrive early next year.
