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USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (Replacement for Grumman LLV)
I was thinking there was already a thread for the new USPS delivery van (NGDV) competition but I couldn't find one. Anyways, since a winner was announced yesterday I think it's time it has a dedicated thread. The Postal Service has awarded a contract to Oshkosh for up to 165,000 vehicles. The contract calls for a mix of gas powered and electric drivetrain, though the exact ratio appears to be unknown at this time. The new vehicles are said to be designed so full fleet EV conversion is a possibility through retrofit. As we all know, these are the long awaited replacements for the iconic Grumman LLV, many of which are now over 30 years old. I think they look pretty excellent:
https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492 _ |
The official USPS Press Release:
Feb. 23, 2021 U.S. Postal Service Awards Contract to Launch Multi-Billion-Dollar Modernization of Postal Delivery Vehicle Fleet Oshkosh Defense Will Finalize Design of Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV), Delivering Up to 165,000 of the U.S.-Built Vehicles Over the Next Decade Investment is Part of Soon-to-be-Released, 10-Year Plan to Transform USPS Into the Preferred Delivery Service Provider for the American Public Modernization to Reduce USPS Fleet’s Costs and Greenhouse Gas Emissions as Cleaner Technologies, such as Electric Powertrains, Power Carrier Routes WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service announced today it awarded a 10-year contract to Oshkosh, WI, based Oshkosh Defense, to manufacture a new generation of U.S.-built postal delivery vehicles that will drive the most dramatic modernization of the USPS fleet in three decades. The historic investment is part of a soon-to-be-released plan the Postal Service has developed to transform its financial performance and customer service over the next 10 years through significant investments in people, technology and infrastructure as it seeks to become the preferred delivery service provider for the American public. Under the contract’s initial $482 million investment, Oshkosh Defense will finalize the production design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) — a purpose-built, right-hand-drive vehicle for mail and package delivery — and will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of them over 10 years. The vehicles will be equipped with either fuel-efficient internal combustion engines or battery electric powertrains and can be retrofitted to keep pace with advances in electric vehicle technologies. The initial investment includes plant tooling and build-out for the U.S. manufacturing facility where final vehicle assembly will occur. The contract is the first part of a multi-billion-dollar 10-year effort to replace the Postal Service’s delivery vehicle fleet, one of the world’s largest. The Postal Service fleet has more than 230,000 vehicles in every class, including both purpose-built and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) vehicles. Approximately 190,000 deliver mail six, and often seven, days a week in every U.S. community. The NGDV, along with other COTS vehicles, will replace and expand the current delivery fleet, which includes many vehicles that have been in service for 30 years. The first NGDVs are estimated to appear on carrier routes in 2023. “As the American institution that binds our country together, the U.S. Postal Service can have a bright and modern future if we make investments today that position us for excellence tomorrow,” said Postmaster General and USPS Chief Executive Officer Louis DeJoy. “The NGDV program expands our capacity for handling more package volume and supports our carriers with cleaner and more efficient technologies, more amenities, and greater comfort and security as they deliver every day on behalf of the American people.” The NGDV vehicles will include air conditioning and heating, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front- and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher package volumes stemming from the growth of eCommerce. “Our fleet modernization also reflects the Postal Service’s commitment to a more environmentally sustainable mix of vehicles,” DeJoy said. “Because we operate one of the largest civilian government fleets in the world, we are committed to pursuing near-term and long-term opportunities to reduce our impact on the environment.” The Postal Service awarded the Oshkosh Defense contract in accordance with competitive Postal Service procurement policies after extensive testing of prototype vehicles, evaluation of offered production proposals, and discussions of technical specifications with the offerors. The award is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, meaning that after an initial dollar commitment, the Postal Service will have the ongoing ability to order more NGDV over a fixed period of time, in this case,10 years. Oshkosh Defense is evaluating which of their several U.S. manufacturing locations is best suited to potentially increase the production rate of the NGDV. Video remarks featuring Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and other Postal Service executives, and an image of the new NGDV are available on the USPS Newsroom. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. |
USPS Chooses Oshkosh Defense to Replace Its Mail-Delivery Trucks
The elderly Grumman LLVs, in service since at least 1994, will be replaced by trucks with airbags and A/C. The design is yet to be finalized, but some will be electric BY COLIN BERESFORD FEB 23, 2021 https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492 The U.S. Postal Service has awarded Oshkosh Defense the contract to replace the aging Grumman LLV trucks that are currently delivering mail across the country. The contract includes an initial $482 million investment from the USPS to finalize the design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV). The new vehicles will include both battery-electric vehicles and those with low-emission internal-combustion engines. They are expected to be delivering mail by 2023. The United States Postal Service, after over five years of searching, has awarded Oshkosh Defense of Wisconsin with the contract to replace its aging fleet of mail-delivery trucks. The contract includes an initial $482 million investment from the USPS in Oshkosh to finalize the design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) and to begin the tooling of an assembly plant. The NGDVs will replace the Grumman LLVs which currently serve as the USPS's mail-delivery trucks. The trucks currently in service were manufactured between 1987 and 1994 and were intended to only have 24-year life spans; all have passed that age. The trucks built by Oshkosh are estimated to be delivering mail by 2023. The NGDVs that Oshkosh will build will include both battery-electric vehicles and low-emission internal-combustion-engine vehicles, both of which will be able to be retrofitted to keep up with the latest EV tech. They will also have air conditioning and airbags—both of which the current trucks lack—as well as heat, a 360-degree camera, a front and rear collision avoidance system, and automated emergency braking. Oshkosh agreed to what is called an indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, meaning that the USPS will be able to order more of the vehicles throughout the 10-year contract. During that time, the contract stipulates that the USPS will order anywhere between 50,000 and 165,000 of the vehicles. Rest of story https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492 _ https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492 _ https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492 _ https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492 _ https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492 _ |
I like it. It looks like what a mail truck is supposed to look like, if that makes any sense.
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^ I agree. I read it as a pretty excellent balance of utility and style. It could use some tweaking and I understand the design isn't 100% final, but it's a hell of a lot better than some of the other prototypes from the competition. It's not quite as "iconic" as the Rivian Amazon vans but maybe that's a good thing, they may age substantially better. After all, these will probably be on the road for a minimum of 25 years like the LLV's before them. Of course, since everyone's a snark expert, plenty of people have already started to make fun.
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I just hope this deal has been/will be carefully vetted. Considering Louis DeJoy's unique philosophy regarding "improving" the USPS, a contract of this size needs to be thoroughly reviewed.
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There was a big pump and dump of Workhorse's stock leading up to their loss of this contract. I looked up their physical address outside Cincinnati and got this sleepy little warehouse across from a swimming pool supply company:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.2845...4!8i8192?hl=en They do have a "factory", exactly 1 mile over the Indiana border, no doubt due to some sort of tax incentive: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wo....8277455?hl=en |
From commondreams.org
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It looks pretty good! The truck isn't very big, but not small too, so there is enough place to put some big orders. Also it is stylish, and if you say that th design isn't 100% final, that's awesome for now. I work in Germany and I usually use parcel delivery service providers that have delievery tracking system sendungsverfolgungpost.de. What I want to say is that they have very similar trucks, even when it comes to size. I guess it is just a perfect way to construct the machines for delievering stuff because I ordered both small and big packages, and the size of such trucks was more that enough even for biggest ones. And it will be pretty cheap to create such machines because you need much less materials for that.
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A must read for anyone interested in this:
https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/...ric-mail-truck https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...limate-change/ |
What a tremendous disappointment. USPS would have been the perfect operator for electric trucks.
Also, how does Louis DeJoy still have his job? |
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yeah trump really effed up the usps even further by sticking us with this chief tool -- anyway, here is why we are stuck with the guy: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/...uis-dejoy.html |
The whole thing stinks. Who knows, maybe this procurement is killed at the 11th hour or something else changes. I doubt this is the end of the story.
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This isn't as good as it could be but it is an improvement from when the USPS committed to only ten percent electric vehicles for its fleet.
USPS will make 40% of its new trucks electric, up from 10% Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s new push for EVs brings the agency closer to conforming with President Biden’s far-reaching climate goals By Jacob Bogage Washington Post July 20, 2022 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-ap...ABJM.jpg&w=916 U.S. Postal Service delivery trucks line up outside a Louisville post office earlier this month. The agency has boosted its EV commitment, and now plans to ensure 40 percent of its new fleet is electric. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg) "The U.S. Postal Service pledged Wednesday to electrify at least 40 percent of its new delivery fleet, an increase that climate activists hailed as a major step toward reducing the government’s environmental footprint. Share with The Post: What’s one way you’ve felt the impact of inflation? The Postal Service had been set to purchase as many as 165,000 vehicles from Oshkosh Defense, of which 10 percent would have been electric under the original procurement plan. Now it will acquire 50,000 trucks from Oshkosh, half of which will be EVs. It will also buy another 34,500 commercially available vehicles, with sufficient electric models to make 4 in 10 trucks in its delivery fleet zero-emission vehicles. The announcement comes after 16 states, the District of Columbia, and four of the nation’s top environmental groups sued the mail agency in the spring to prevent the original purchase plan, or compel it to buy more electric trucks. Activists at a minimum want the Postal Service’s fleet to consist of at least 75 percent EVs, though the agency’s Office of Inspector General found that 95 percent of delivery routes are suitable for electrification..." https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...ectric-trucks/ |
Well it's an improvement. I guess it depends on how "fast" the original 165,000 rollout was going to be. If they are going with 25k EV and 25k IC now with Oshkosh, I can see a scenario where the "off the shelf" EV vans they are getting to supliment in the meantime will be phased out after probably 8 years or so since those vehicles are likely not built to the robust standards as the Oshkosh models will. At that point, if the original 25k Oshkosh EV's prove successful after being broken in over several years, a second contract with Oshkosh for another 100,000 EV's could likely be in the cards. Time will tell. Good news nonetheless though.
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Considering both UPS and FedEx are strongly committed to electrifying their fleets, it makes Louis DeJoy's purchase of the gasoline trucks even more frustrating.
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Another problem I have is not just that that the new vehicles would have ICE, but their mileage would be complete garbage as well. I forgot where I read it so take with a grain of salt, but I heard as low as 8.6 miles per gallon. Just, why?
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