-
No, this is not a rendering of a Pixar film, it is the appearance of the new USPS mail delivery vehicle.
USPS
-
It is called the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle and was designed by Oshkosh Defense.
USPS
-
Yes, it looks funny, but the reward for the duckface is good visibility.
USPS
-
The load capacity will be increased compared to current Grumman LLV vehicles.
USPS
-
A list of new features.
USPS
-
Grumman’s existing fleet of LLVs is aging and they continue to catch fire, among other problems.
Dünzl / ullstein bild via Getty Images
-
Apparently, there was at least one electric LLV. I found this image on Getty, and the caption reads, “Sherwood Boehlert, RN.Y., is sitting in an electric mail truck at the finish line of the Tour de Sol, a six-day electric vehicle competition in which participants compete for the best efficiency in several categories. The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association sponsors the tour, which travels from New York City to Washington, DC Press Secretary James E. Philipps takes the picture. “I was unable to discover much more, however.
Scott J. Ferrell / Congressional Quarterly / Getty Images
-
In Germany, Deutsche Post decided to build its own EV delivery vehicles, called StreetScooter, but in 2020 it removed the plug due to lack of profitability.
Hendrik Schmidt / Alliance image via Getty Images
The United States Postal Service decided on a new delivery vehicle. On Tuesday afternoon, the USPS signed a 10-year, $ 485 million contract with Oshkosh Defense – better known for armored vehicles – to deliver between 50,000 and 165,000 state-of-the-art delivery vehicles, with the first trucks arriving at roads in 2023.
Neither the USPS nor Oshkosh is ready to share detailed specifications for NGDV; Oshkosh has yet to finalize the project, according to the press release. We know that the new fleet will consist of a mix of engines. Some will be battery powered, but others will use “internal combustion engines with low fuel consumption”, with the ability to be adapted “to keep up with advances in electric vehicle technology”.
The rendered images certainly show a vehicle with a unique style. The combination of an extremely low hood and a very high windshield bears a small resemblance to a Pixar creation, but the reward for this anatine look must be excellent front visibility. Fortunately for future postal workers, air conditioning is standard, so they shouldn’t be too hot due to the glass that retains the heat from the sun.
More attention seems to have been given to driver and pedestrian safety than with the current USPS fire-prone Grumman LLV trucks. There are airbags, as well as a set of cameras and sensors to assist the driver, such as automatic emergency braking.
Many expected the USPS to choose a fully electric project for its next truck, especially since President Joe Biden had vowed to electrify the federal government’s fleet of vehicles.
List image by USPS