Live data from Hacker News

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

cbsnews.com

201–210 of 503 posts

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

#201

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.

They're Kyburz DXP trikes, specially designed for Australia Post: https://www.kyburz-asia.com/delivery-vehicles/dxp-au 120kg load capacity (270kg with trailer), 50kph max speed, 50-100km range. Curb weight is 315kg, total vehicle weight is 510kg. For comparison, the USPS NGDV requirements were for a vehicle that could carry a loaded Kyburz DKP (minimum payload capacity of 680kg in 155 cubic ft) at twice the top speed…

Wow that is faster than I expected since they are 3 wheeled. Honda stopped producing 3 wheeled trikes because they were far too easy to tip over during cornering and many people died. These things look like they could do the same if not careful. I hope they give employees lots of training.

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

#202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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. If the time wasted charging/refueling is super valuable you can fix this by provisioning a few more vehicles than there are drivers, or having hot swappable pre-charged batteries and provisioning a few…

That creates more overhead, downtime, and complexity. Now you need 3 or 4 additional semis lined up and waiting for a cross country trip.

The thing in the article is a van, not a semi, though.

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

#203
post #92

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…

You have to go out of your way to get to the gas station, go up to the pump, pay for it, and then get back on your way. It always takes me 5-10 minutes to get gas.

Wow. Gas stations are everywhere, conveniently located, and always on route to some place or another.

The mental gymnastics employed, to try to make this seem arduous, does not make for a compelling argument.

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

#204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember being at the post office and thinking it was dumb that the clerk thought Micronesia was part of the US and they could charge domestic rates. Only later that I discovered I was the dumb one. IDK how you can possibly economically send mail to places like foreign barely habited deep pacific islands for the same price as mailing to your neighbor.

First, the post office is not a company but a government service so it can LOSE money and that's fine. Second, they don't they make a little on local delivery and bulk and lose a little on long distance. It's not rocket surgery.

I don't think it's fine we're subsidizing domestic shipping rates to mail to foreign citizens on foreign soil, save maybe a few rare exceptions like they're acting in an official capacity on behalf of the US.

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

#207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're Kyburz DXP trikes, specially designed for Australia Post: https://www.kyburz-asia.com/delivery-vehicles/dxp-au 120kg load capacity (270kg with trailer), 50kph max speed, 50-100km range. Curb weight is 315kg, total vehicle weight is 510kg. For comparison, the USPS NGDV requirements were for a vehicle that could carry a loaded Kyburz DKP (minimum payload capacity of 680kg in 155 cubic ft) at twice the top speed…

> Reliable deliveries with all-weather protection. The roof over the DXP AU provides great visibility and protection against the wind and rain. Calling BS on this. Anything more than a light drizzle (or any kind of wind + rain combo) and that driver is getting wet.

Sure. They used to use motorcycles though. So the comparison is a little more favourable against a postie bike

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

#208

There is so little need for a post office any more except as a junk mail delivery system. I'd rather see phase out plans.

It's also for anything government-related, like voting. Pretty important to have.

Important for facilitating fraud. I can't speak for the US specifically as I've never lived there but in the countries I know almost all cases of court proven voter fraud were connected with the postal service. Through interception of the mail, the fraudulent ordering of mail in ballots, "lost" mail in ballots that never got counted or simply because in some places the mail in ballots are counted separately and there is less oversight, so more of an opportunity to manipulate the count.

Also that doesn't even include all the cases where a relative helped the person fill out the ballot.

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

#209

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.

They're Kyburz DXP trikes, specially designed for Australia Post: https://www.kyburz-asia.com/delivery-vehicles/dxp-au 120kg load capacity (270kg with trailer), 50kph max speed, 50-100km range. Curb weight is 315kg, total vehicle weight is 510kg. For comparison, the USPS NGDV requirements were for a vehicle that could carry a loaded Kyburz DKP (minimum payload capacity of 680kg in 155 cubic ft) at twice the top speed…

Why does that need to be specially designed? It looks general purpose to me!
Post reply on HN