The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will boast one of the largest electric fleets of vehicles in the country after committing to buy 66,000 electric vehicles in an effort to help the Biden Administration reach its climate change goals.
USPS recently unveiled a plan to purchase 106,000 new vehicles by 2028, and 66,000 of the vehicles will be electric. USPS is investing $9.6 billion on the new vehicles and infrastructure, according to The Washington Post. Nearly one-third of the investment -- $3 billion – will come from the Inflation Reduction Act.
The Post says the agency expects to purchase zero-emissions delivery trucks almost exclusively by 2026 as it works to replace an aging fleet of vehicles reaching 30 years old and lacking safety features and air conditioning. They also average only 8.2 miles per gallon.
Fleet electrification plays a significant role in President Biden’s climate plan, which orders the federal government to purchase electric-only vehicles by 2035. USPS currently has more than 217,000 vehicles in its fleet.
The delivery industry is considered a prime one to transition to more electric machines. USPS competitors also have unveiled their own plans to make their fleets more environmentally friendly.
USPS will continue to rely on internal combustion engines for vans and trucks that travel longer distances, the Post reported.
Dave Lubach is managing editor of the Facilities Market.
