U.S. Postmaster General Defends Plans for Electric Delivery Vehicles
U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy defended the plans to purchase a growing number of electric delivery vehicles, stating that the decision makes business sense for the United States Postal Service (USPS). DeJoy testified before a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on Tuesday, saying that the EV purchase plan does not require any additional funding from Congress, as $3 billion was already allocated in 2023 as part of a $430 billion climate bill.
USPS plans to buy some 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028, with $1.2 billion of the allocated funds going towards electric vehicle purchases. The post office has already ordered 28,000 vehicles this year, with 22,000 of them being gas-powered. The 2025 purchases are expected to be around 50-50 EVs and gas-powered, while next-generation delivery vehicles starting in 2026 will be all-EVs.
DeJoy stated that the USPS is paying around $20,000 more for the Oshkosh next-generation delivery EVs and around $10,000 more for off-the-shelf EVs over gas-powered models. Oshkosh is expected to deliver about 45,000 next-generation electric vehicles and 21,000 off-the-shelf EVs, including 9,250 Ford E-Transit EVs.
Some lawmakers, such as Representative William Timmons, a South Carolina Republican, have expressed concerns over the cost of the electric vehicle purchases and have called for the USPS to revert to its prior plan of buying 90% gas-powered vehicles. However, DeJoy emphasized that any changes would require legislation, and that the USPS does not plan to return funding earmarked for zero-emission models without Congressional approval.