US Postal Service Using 2,600 EVs for Mail Deliveries

Wedoany.com Report-Dec.3, The United States Postal Service (USPS) currently operates more than 2,600 battery electric vehicles (EVs) for mail delivery nationwide, according to a November 17 letter to Congress reviewed on Tuesday.

The agency has deployed these vehicles on routes where electric models offer lower total operating costs compared with traditional gasoline-powered trucks.

Of the fleet, 2,010 are commercial Ford E-Transit vans now delivering mail from 65 locations, while 612 are purpose-built Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs) manufactured by Oshkosh Defense and operating from 15 sites.

USPS has purchased a total of 8,700 Ford E-Transit vehicles and placed orders for additional electric NGDVs. The agency has also installed 6,650 charging stations across 75 postal facilities, with new electric vehicles and chargers entering service weekly.

Funding for the electrification program comes from a $3 billion congressional appropriation made in 2023, which included $1.2 billion specifically for electric delivery vehicles and related infrastructure. USPS confirmed that the entire amount has been committed.

"We are deploying (battery electric vehicles) to routes and delivery units where the BEVs will save us money relative to internal combustion vehicles," wrote Peter Pastre, USPS executive vice president and chief government relations officer, in the letter.

To modernize its overall fleet, USPS has simultaneously acquired 26,000 internal combustion engine vehicles, including 2,600 next-generation gasoline-powered NGDVs from Oshkosh. Many of the vehicles being replaced date to the late 1980s and cost an average of more more than $8,000 annually to maintain.

The mixed fleet approach—combining electric and conventional vehicles—allows USPS to match vehicle type to route characteristics, operational requirements, and available charging infrastructure while progressively reducing long-term fuel and maintenance expenses.

The electrification initiative forms part of a broader decade-long fleet replacement program aimed at improving reliability, lowering operating costs, and updating delivery capabilities across urban and rural areas.

USPS continues to expand both its electric and conventional vehicle deployments as new vehicles are delivered and additional charging infrastructure comes online throughout the country.