Business leaders call for support to electrify USPS fleet
Business leaders convened on Washington yesterday to call for federal support for electrifying major vehicle fleets, including that of the US Postal Service. Members of the Electrification Coalition, led by FedEx Corporation Chairman and President Frederick W Smith, called on Congress and the government to provide financial support to help with the high upfront costs of switching to electric vehicles.
The USPS had nearly 220,000 vehicles in operation during 2009, including 195,000 light trucks suitable for electrification.
With average daily delivery rounds at just 18 miles, the USPS trucks would be well-suited to electric alternatives, the Coalition said.
Electric vehicles would mean “sharply lower” energy costs and relief from the “extremely high maintenance costs” from the current postal delivery fleet, according to a report the Coalition issued highlighting the opportunities.
Despite the significant long-term financial benefits, the key barrier for the financially troubled USPS would be the upfront investment to electrify its fleet, the report noted.
It suggested funding from the federal government to offset these costs between 2011 and 2014, claiming that a demonstration program could break even within the first two years that electric vehicles are in operation.
The sheer volume of the potential USPS purchasing power could help spur on electric vehicle technology in the US, creating thousands of jobs in the process, the Coalition said.
Mr Smith said: “It is important to consider all of the applications where electric drive technology makes sense, and what we have found is that the case is very strong for a number of fleet applications over the next five years.”
The USPS is currently testing out electric vehicle technologies that could be more widely used if Congress permits.
FedEx and UPS were both among the top 50 fleet operators named in the Electrification Coalition report as providing good opportunities to broaden US adoption of electric vehicle technology.
