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U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

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Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#131

Post by frosted-flakes »

gwbas1c wrote: post #92
akira2501 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> electricity prices per mile of transport per ton were about 25% that of fossil fuel prices per mile of transport per ton In shipping and logistics, time is money. Fuel can be dispensed in the US at a maximum of 10 gal/minute. Factor that against the largest charger you can find and see why the single cost difference doesn't matter yet. > They should really move all long-haul trucking to electric as well Reduced cap…

> In shipping and logistics, time is money. Fuel can be dispensed in the US at a maximum of 10 gal/minute. Factor that against the largest charger you can find and see why the single cost difference doesn't matter yet. You charge the mail trucks overnight, when they aren't being driven. I don't know about you, but I've never seen a postman out in the evening or nighttime. I also don't know about you, but I don't stan…

No one is claiming electrification isn't practical for mail delivery vans. The grandparent comments are discussing long-haul trucking.

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#132

Post by mulmen »

rrrrrrrrrrrryan wrote: post #127
mulmen wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the problem with long haul trucking is just getting the range. Are we close to having enough battery capacity to allow drivers to meet their hours-per-day limits? If not electric won’t be economical for operators. Local delivery is a much clearer fit for electric, even in the short term. We see that here.

If we're willing to invest in the infrastructure, it's possible to charge the trucks while they're in transit: https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/9/18538030/germany-ehighway-...

Ok, that’s cool. Seems obvious in a place like central Washington where you can see hundreds of windmills lining the highway.

Might also be beneficial on hillclimbs where instant battery capacity may be lacking.

If we imagine building EVs that are 1:1 replacements for ICE we see challenging hurdles but with even small changes in the status quo EVs suddenly become feasible on shorter timeframes.

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#133

Post by Larrikin »

kelnos wrote: post #110
IncRnd wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Statements like that don't really answer the question. Other reporting on this has said that 75 locations are currently getting build-outs for charging stations. [1] The actual question is where these will be built. Answering "the parking lot" isn't actually helpful to "where". [1] https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3879040-usps-t...

Er, what? "The parking lot" is a perfectly good and reasonable answer to that question.

Their post history suggests they are pedantic just to be pedantic.

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#134

Post by mastax »

viraptor wrote: post #13

For comparison, Australia Post went with mostly 3-wheel electric bikes for local deliveries (3100 out of 4100 EVs in the fleet mid 2022). https://auspost.com.au/our-stories/inspiring-stories/sustain... there's a photo in the link. The low noise compared to the previous powered bikes is really nice.

Could you explain how the tricycles work, practically? Auspost delivers parcels, correct? That tricycle looks like it could fit about one days worth of package deliveries for my street. Then it would need to go back to the post office. Unless the post offices are very close together that seems really inefficient. Also, since Australia was not built in the 10th century, you can fit normal sized cars most everywhere, no? What am I missing?

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#135

Post by dools »

akira2501 wrote: post #61
photochemsyn wrote: post #32

This will save a lot of money over time. Last time I checked in any detail, electricity prices per mile of transport per ton were about 25% that of fossil fuel prices per mile of transport per ton, and that was three years ago. They should really move all long-haul trucking to electric as well, at least for the main trunk lines, and for city-wide delivery. Remote rural routes will likely be the hardest to electrify.

> electricity prices per mile of transport per ton were about 25% that of fossil fuel prices per mile of transport per ton In shipping and logistics, time is money. Fuel can be dispensed in the US at a maximum of 10 gal/minute. Factor that against the largest charger you can find and see why the single cost difference doesn't matter yet. > They should really move all long-haul trucking to electric as well Reduced cap…

This tech is really promising, they can retrofit a battery that can be swapped out for a fully charged one in minutes:

https://www.januselectric.com.au

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#136

Post by hot_gril »

PaulDavisThe1st wrote: post #91
psychlops wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The nation should subsidize package delivery to remote locations? I'm sure there is a good reason why, but I can't think of an example. I can only hope their lack of profit motivation will make them stop taking money from bulk mailers.

Because there are people doing things out there that are valuable to us, but we don't pay them enough to do those things that they could dream of paying the full cost of mail delivery.

Higher costs, higher prices, it works out. But the USPS has plenty of other reasons to exist.

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#137

Post by nonethewiser »

IncRnd wrote: post #90
ceejayoz wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"They plan to buy more EVs" can (again, I expect ) probably be safely read to include "and the requisite infrastructure to accompany them" eventually.

The question was , "Where are they going to charge them once a post office has a few?" So, I'm not sure why you are trying to correct my factual quotes to answer that question by posting your expectations as to the future hypothetical existence of chargers.

This argument is pointless

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#138

Post by rrrrrrrrrrrryan »

xeromal wrote: post #111
rootusrootus wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find that in real life HVAC accounts for half or more of the total consumption on a typical stop-n-go route.

and postal trucks don't even have HVAC. At least the ICE ones. They get a lowsy fan

I just had to Google to see whether or not they even had doors.

At least in SoCal they (almost?) always leave the door completely open and they wear shorts, clearly because they don't have A/C.

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#139

Post by xeromal »

rrrrrrrrrrrryan wrote: post #138
xeromal wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and postal trucks don't even have HVAC. At least the ICE ones. They get a lowsy fan

I just had to Google to see whether or not they even had doors. At least in SoCal they (almost?) always leave the door completely open and they wear shorts, clearly because they don't have A/C.

In GA, it's the same. They usually wear shorts too. It's hot and humid so I don't blame them!

Re: U.S. Postal Service starts nationwide electric vehicle fleet, buying 9,250 EVs

#140

Post by glenngillen »

mastax wrote: post #134
viraptor wrote: post #13

For comparison, Australia Post went with mostly 3-wheel electric bikes for local deliveries (3100 out of 4100 EVs in the fleet mid 2022). https://auspost.com.au/our-stories/inspiring-stories/sustain... there's a photo in the link. The low noise compared to the previous powered bikes is really nice.

Could you explain how the tricycles work, practically? Auspost delivers parcels, correct? That tricycle looks like it could fit about one days worth of package deliveries for my street. Then it would need to go back to the post office. Unless the post offices are very close together that seems really inefficient. Also, since Australia was not built in the 10th century, you can fit normal sized cars most everywhere, n…

It’s largely filled with letters and maybe small packages (e.g., my coffee subscription). Anything larger than a large book seems to still be delivered by someone driving a van. The trikes roam the streets going door to door, the vans operate more like a courier service.
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