Next Generation Delivery Vehicle

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Next Generation Delivery Vehicle
Oshkosh NGDV Front Quarter View.jpg
Overview
ManufacturerOshkosh Corporation
Also calledUSPS Mail truck
Model years2023
Body and chassis
ClassMail truck
Chronology
PredecessorGrumman LLV

The Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) will be a mail truck for the United States Postal Service. The contract award was made to Oshkosh Corporation in February 2021, is valued at up to $6 billion, and up to 160,000 vehicles will be built in a new facility.[1] [2]

History[]

On January 20, 2015, the USPS released solicitation RFI-NGDV for the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle.[3] Potential bidders had until March 5, 2015 to submit comments and pre-qualification responses. The USPS was to then select companies to receive the RFP for prototype development. On February 13, 2015, it was announced that General Motors was actively pursuing this new contract, which would have them provide the USPS with 180,000 new vehicles at a cost of at least $5 billion.[4] On September 22, 2016, the United States Postal Service awarded the NGDV Prototype Contract to six selected suppliers: AM General, Karsan, Mahindra, Oshkosh, Utilimaster, and a joint-venture bid involving Workhorse and VT Hackney. Half of the prototypes were to feature hybrid and new technologies, including alternative fuel capabilities. The prototypes represented a variety of vehicle sizes and drive configurations, in addition to advanced power trains and a range of hybrid technologies.[5]

The award to Oshkosh Defense was announced in February 2021. Oshkosh Defense is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation and the award is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract and the competitively awarded contract allows for the delivery of between 50,000 and 165,000 vehicles over a period of 10 years. Under the initial contract USPS has committed to pay Oshkosh Defense $482 million to initiate engineering efforts to finalize the production vehicle design, and for tooling and factory build-out activities that are necessary prior to vehicle production. In June 2021, Oshkosh stated the company will assemble the new mail truck at a dedicated factory in Spartanburg, S.C., and will employ more than 1,000 local people.[6]

The Workhorse Group., a Loveland, Ohio, electric truck builder and losing bidder initially protested the award to Oshkosh,[7] but later dropped the case one day before the case would be heard in court.[8]

Design[]

Described as the 'duck-billed option', Oshkosh's NGDV has been designed to maximize interior volume and outward visibility for drivers who will be required to move against traffic in pedestrian-heavy areas. It is also tall enough for a person to stand inside and work. Current-generation automotive safety features employed by the design include air bags, a 360-degree camera, automatic emergency braking, and collision avoidance systems. The sliding door cab is air-conditioned.[9][10]

Around 10% of the first order will be battery-electric, the remainder using just a low emission internal combustion engine (ICE). Either powertrain option can be built for future orders, and ICE configuration models can be converted to battery-electric if required. Ford Component Sales will provide Oshkosh with key parts for both the battery-electric and ICE versions including the engine and transmission, plus suspensions and other components including cabin interiors. An earlier Oshkosh proposal had been based around the Ford Transit van.[9][10]

Oshkosh's design would have a fuel efficiency of just 14 miles per gallon, or 8.6 mpg when the air conditioning is on.[11] The combined vehicle weight including payload is 8,501 pounds, just one pound over the EPA's threshold to be considered a heavy-duty truck, allowing it to avoid pollution emissions standards for light trucks.[11] Senators Ed Markey and Martin Heinrich, joined by other members of Congress and environmental organizations, sent a letter criticizing USPS and Oshkosh for the vehicles' inefficiency and the use of incorrect data in their environmental impact statement.[12]

References[]

  1. ^ O'Kane, Sean (February 23, 2021). "USPS unveils next-generation mail truck with electric drivetrain option". The Verge. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Isidore, Chris (February 23, 2021). "New Postal Service delivery vehicle unveiled. It's a pretty radical change". CNN. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Request for Information and Prequalification/Sources Sought - Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) Acquisition Program" 20 January 2015
  4. ^ Ungarino, Rebecca. "Postal service seeks to retire the old mail truck". CNBC.com. CNBC. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  5. ^ "USPS Statement on Next Generation Delivery Vehicles Prototype Selection and Request for Proposal for Commercial Off-the-Shelf Delivery Vehicles". usps.com. USPS. 16 September 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-09-30. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  6. ^ "OSHKOSH SELECTS SPARTANBURG, S.C. TO BUILD NEXT GENERATION POSTAL DELIVERY FLEET". Business Wire. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  7. ^ Hurley, Scott (2 July 2021). "Ohio company alleges USPS unfairly gave mail truck contract to Oshkosh Corp". WLUK FOX 11 News. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  8. ^ O'Kane, Sean (September 15, 2021). "Workhorse abruptly drops lawsuit against Postal Service over new mail truck". The Verge. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Ford Delivering Engines for New USPS Vehicles". NewsWheel. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b "USPS Picks Oshkosh Defense NGDV". TruthAboutcars. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  11. ^ a b "The New USPS Trucks Would Probably Be Illegal If They Weighed One Pound Less". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
  12. ^ "Senators Markey and Heinrich, Backed by Broad Industry and Environmental Coalition, Urge United States Postal Service To Reverse Its Decision To Procure An Overwhelmingly Gas-Powered Delivery Fleet - ZETA". www.zeta2030.org. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
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