A while ago, we reported that certain environmental groups like the Sierra Club were pressuring the USPS to adopt electrified mail trucks. Now, two years later, the USPS seems to be gradually testing out this new technology.
Electric mail trucks
Per Green Car Reports, the USPS is currently testing out electric delivery trucks in California. Stockton and Fresno are the first cities to kick off the experiment since both locations evidence the characteristic poor air quality of the central valley region.
The trucks will help reduce emissions as well as fuel costs. The USPS estimates that teach truck could reduce annual fuel costs by as much as $6K. This translates to 37 tons less of greenhouse gases per year.
The new mail trucks can achieve a top speed of 60 mph and boast a range of approximately 90 miles. They’re also a lot quieter than conventional mail trucks, thanks to their lack of a conventional combustion system.
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Photo: Demis Gallisto
Rumors of a refreshed fleet
Implementing electric delivery trucks isn’t the only news from the USPS, though. The organization is also considering replacing its outdated fleet with more contemporary models, as Green Car Reports confirms. Apparently, its current collection of 160,000 Grumman Long-Life Vehicle trucks is more than three decades old, since the USPS introduced them back in 1987.
To this end, the USPS is currently considering four potential models for the next-gen mail trucks. Per Green Car Reports, one gas truck and two electric models comprise three finalists under review.
We await more news on California’s electrified truck tests. It will be interesting to see how quickly the electric delivery truck technology spreads to the rest of the nation. We’ll also have to wait a bit longer to see which new, potentially-electric models the USPS decides to replace its archaic lineup with.
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News Source: Green Car Reports
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