• by Tanya Gazdik , March 1, 2023

In a move that will expose masses of consumers to electric vehicles on a daily basis, the United States Postal Service is purchasing thousands of Ford Transit vans.

After a competitive search, Ford Motor Co. was awarded contracts today for 9,250 Ford E-Transit Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). Delivery of the vehicles is scheduled to begin in December. The Ford E-Transit BEVs are manufactured in Kansas City, Missouri. 

The USPS's total investment in vehicles is expected to reach $9.6 billion, including $3 billion from Inflation Reduction Act funds. A plan announced by the White House in December projected acquisitions over the next five years of a 75% electric fleet of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV). Acquisitions of NGDV after 2026 will be 100% electric. 

Separately, USPS chose three suppliers for initial orders of more than 14,000 charging stations to be deployed at Postal Service facilities. 

The locations for deployment of charging infrastructure and vehicles is still being finalized, per USPS.

As part of the earliest stages of the delivery vehicle replacement plan, a contract for 9,250 commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) internal combustion engine vehicles will also be concurrently awarded to fill the urgent need for vehicles.

The Postal Service plans to begin building out its charging infrastructure across a minimum of 75 locations within the next 12 months and then will  continue adding to it in succeeding years.

Ford has previously sold E-Transit vans through a Ford Pro pilot program to companies including Penske Truck Leasing and National Grid.