USPS adds electric step-vans for California letter routes

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has begun using a fleet of all-electric delivery trucks in a move to cut emissions, save fuel, and reduce maintenance costs in its Fresno, Calif. market.

USPS accepted the first of a planned seven Ford E-450 based all-electric step vans, according to the vendor, Motiv Power Systems Inc., a Foster City, Calif. provider of all-electric fleet chassis for trucks and buses.

As compared to their combustion engine-powered counterparts, Motiv's all-electric EPIC chassis-equipped mail delivery vans are expected to save fuel and maintenance costs, resulting in an overall reduction of total cost of ownership, Motiv said.

The pilot program of seven vans is slated for deployment in California's Central Valley, according to Motiv. The first vehicle now serves routes in Fresno, with the balance of the vehicles to be deployed in Fresno and Stockton as part of a year-long program.

Most of the immediate project benefits will accrue in the San Joaquin Valley, an economically disadvantaged area with some of the highest pollution burdens in the country, as evidenced by CalEnviroScreen scores within the worst five percent in the state, according to Motiv.

The USPS' acquisition of the Motiv chassis-powered vans was developed as a partnership by CALSTART and the San Joaquin Clean Transportation Center and funded through a California Air Resources Board (CARB) award to the San Joaquin Air Quality Control. The funds are meant to provide an incentive to Californian fleets to adopt the cleanest emerging technologies and continue to advance California's Air Quality and Climate goals.

The USPS' acquisition of the vans was made possible by the California Climate Investments, a statewide program that invests billions of cap-and-trade dollars in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.