The U.S. Postal Service has contracted with ZAP to design an electric version of its Long Life Vehicle (LLV), more commonly known as the standard mail truck. (See more about electric-vehicles)
ZAP, a pioneer in the electric vehicle market, will convert a standard gasoline mail truck to run on electricity at a facility in Santa Rosa, CA. Following completion later this year, the vehicle will travel to Washington, DC, for field-testing.
USPS operates approximately 142,000 LLVs, most making frequent stops in the delivery of mail on a daily basis.
The USPS fleet consumed 444 million gals. of fuel in 2009 with the average vehicle achieving 10.4 mpg.
Rep. Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) has introduced legislation calling for at least 20,000 electric vehicles to be put into service with the USPS to reduce fuel consumption. He also has called for the allocation of $1.86 billion to the Energy Dept. and Postal Service to convert current mail trucks or manufacture new ones.
H.R. 4399, entitled the American Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Act, has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
