USPS Electric Fleet Delays Raise Concerns
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service’s initiative for an all-electric delivery fleet is significantly behind schedule. More than $3 billion of taxpayer money has been spent, yet only 612 of the anticipated 35,000 electric delivery trucks have been constructed, according to a letter shared with Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
Former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Control Act of 2022 allocated $3 billion for this project, which Ernst has criticized. Most of this funding went to Oshkosh, a Wisconsin defense contractor, for the development of an eco-friendly mail truck.
In July, Ernst, who heads the Senate DOGE caucus, mentioned her efforts to reverse the order and recuperate the funds meant for the $2.6 billion paid to Oshkosh, particularly given that only 250 trucks had been manufactured as part of a Congressional cancellation plan.
As of November 10, USPS officials informed senators that merely 612 battery-electric Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV BEVs) are currently operational in 15 locations nationwide.
“These numbers are increasing weekly,” noted Peter Pastore, USPS vice president of government relations, in a letter to Ernst dated November 17.
This information suggests that Oshkosh produced 362 NGDV BEVs in just over three months, translating to an average of three to four trucks daily.
Pastore mentioned there are also 2,010 Ford E-Transits delivering mail to 65 locations, with an additional 6,727 vehicles delivered but not yet deployed. However, these vehicles are standard left-hand drive models, limiting their usage since they cannot be routed alongside the right-hand drive NGDV BEVs.
Pastore further stated that 6,651 charging stations are currently operational at 75 locations, nearly three times the number of vehicles in use, and none of the $3 billion from the IRA can be reclaimed.
“This is a ‘fact check’ for the USPS—spending $1.7 billion to produce just 612 EVs is a colossal waste,” Ernst remarked.
The Postal Service’s shift towards eco-friendliness is part of a broader $10 billion project aimed at incorporating 106,480 new vehicles into its fleet by the end of fiscal year 2028, which includes around 60,000 next-generation and 35,000 battery-powered vehicles.
“Though there were some media and office concerns, the testing and modification of the new vehicle, which led to a minor delay in the delivery schedule, isn’t unusual when creating an entirely new vehicle from scratch,” Pastore defended.
Older Grumman Long Life Vehicles, some dating back to 1987, have proven to be costly to maintain and are known for various issues, including poor fuel efficiency and even fires.
Reports have indicated that the new trucks have faced their own setbacks, such as problems with leak tests. “One person involved in manufacturing said, ‘Here’s the bottom line: We don’t know how to build trucks,’” as detailed in the Washington Post.
Pastore communicated to Ernst that the USPS plans to acquire 40,250 combustion engine delivery vehicles, having already secured 26,341 of them.
Initially, the factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, could produce only one mail truck daily, although it is expected to ramp up to 80 as production stabilizes.
The Biden administration had previously stated that the USPS would move towards 100% electric vehicles starting in 2026.
On Monday, USPS released a statement asserting it remains on track to acquire “45,000 next-generation battery electric delivery vehicles and 21,000 commercially available battery electric vehicles” by the end of fiscal 2028.
“Over 35,000 new vehicles have been deployed so far,” the statement indicated, but it’s important to note that many of these are likely still utilizing fuel engines.
Pastore conveyed that the Postal Service is also enhancing its infrastructure to include charging stations for electric vehicles, having already purchased over 14,000 units, though it’s unclear which manufacturers are behind those vehicles.
Former President Trump has raised the idea of merging the USPS with the Department of Commerce, citing a staggering $9.5 billion in losses for the postal service in 2024.
As of now, Postal Service officials have not responded to inquiries for comment.
