The United States Postal Service (USPS) announced its purchase of thousands of Ford-produced battery-powered vans shortly after unveiling its first electric vehicle charging stations.
Both moves are part of a four-year strategy to improve the efficiency of and cut emissions from USPS operations. By 2028, the agency plans to acquire more than 66,000 EVs and build a network of 14,000 charging stations across the U.S., using approximately $9.6 billion in funds.
Per their agreement, Ford will deliver 9,250 E-Transit electric vans to the USPS over the course of 2024. Neither side has revealed the cost of the purchase. In a statement, Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company was “proud to play a role in helping to electrify the largest federal fleet in the country.” Despite its optimistic view of the EV market entering 2023, the automaker has since dialed back its expectations on the battery-powered car segment, cutting production targets and delaying investments into additional facilities.
The USPS is currently partnering with companies Siemens, Blink Charging, and Rexel to install its charging network, the first stations of which were revealed on January 22 in Atlanta, Georgia. The service is also converting hundreds of post offices into distribution centers designed to support the planned electrified fleet.
“In every neighborhood in America, people know their postal carrier and recognize the USPS vehicle driving down their street,” remarked Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation John Podesta in a press release. “The work USPS is doing to electrify those vehicles is making EVs commonplace on every road and street in our country while reducing air pollution and increasing comfort and safety for the dedicated public servants who deliver our mail.”
