The next-generation of Postal Service delivery vehicles is on the way, with more than $6 billion in contracts currently up for grabs. However, General Motors isn’t among the companies looking to secure one of those contracts.
For now, the Postal Service is looking to gather up proposals for its new delivery truck. The proposal deadline is set for March 27th, however, an extension is also a possibility. The contracts include the production of roughly 180,000 delivery vans.
The Postal Service currently utilizes roughly 140,000 Grumman Long Life Vehicles (LLV) for delivery purposes. At this point, the vehicles are rather long in the tooth, with production originally taking place between 1987 and 1994. As such, the trucks lack a variety of basics features, including airbags, ABS, and air conditioning. What’s more, the trucks are too small to accommodate modern deliveries and packages.
The current fleet was originally expected to last around 20 years, but was extended to last 30 years in 2009.
In 2015, the Postal Service began the process of replacing its aging fleet. As of now, four companies are looking to secure contracts for the next-generation delivery vehicles – and GM isn’t one of them.
The companies that are competing for the contracts include Karsan, a commercial electric vehicle company based in Turkey, which teamed up with Morgan Olson, from Michigan. EV truck producer Workhorse is also in the running, as is Oshkosh, which specializes in military vehicles, and is teamed up with Ford. Mahindra Automotive rounds out the current list of competitors.
Given the companies currently in the running, its highly likely the new postal service vehicle will include some sort of electrification technology.
The current Grumman LLV is based on GM hardware, with the GMT330 platform under the skin, and the “Iron Duke” 2.5L inline four-cylinder under the hood. The current fleet also uses the front suspension and instrument cluster from the Chevrolet S-10. Later production incorporated a GM 2.2L inline four-cylinder.
While it looks like GM won’t compete for the new Postal Service contract, the automaker is currently competing to win the Army ISV contract through its GM Defense division.
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Comments
USPS should honor that contract to American company, in this case it’s either workhorse or Oshkosh.
Workhorse does have an arrangement with GM.
With the financial state of the post office one has to wonder if there will be much profit here.
Also I saw a government plated Sonata today with the government employee texting and driving today. I was not pleased to see either.
Though it IS built in America… and GM, Ford & FCA are retreating from sedan mfg. This is largely due to the higher costs they have because of the UAW…. it renders them noncompetitive with such a cost, disadvantage.
That said GM is stupid, they should compete for this contract.
This would be perfect place for electric vehicle. Those old Iron Dukes lasted a long time. Tough old engine. Should be American made.
Amazon wants Rivian for delivery vehicles, right?
I do think it should be US company with US tax dollars footing the bill !
Amazon is using Ford Transits now. Look at the “Ford Authority” web page:
https://fordauthority.com/2019/12/demand-for-ford-transit-vans-is-booming-thanks-to-amazon/
And is also using electric Transits, too:
https://insideevs.com/news/392555/video-amazon-electric-delivery-trucks/
So Ford should electrify more Transit vans and sell them to the USPS.
I agree it should be an American company. GM taking a pass while trying for a defense contract is odd. Lot of money to be made. But Mary know best, right?
There should not be any question that it should be an American company.
What happened to the “Buy American” clause for government contracts?
I agree 100% that the next USPS van must be hybrid, electric, or a mix of both according to the routes. City vans must be all electric, and the rest must be mostly hybrids. A mail carrier’s routes has plenty of stop and go. This is the ideal situation for a hybrid or an electric. And Ford can build both versions in the Transit van!
I agree it should be an American company building the new fleet of vehicles and built here as well .
Just another bogus decision from the General ( aka ) Mary . Some of the news coming out of Detroit lately has ma scratching my head . It’s as if we are reliving the 1980’s again .
Dang near every quality report out right now has GM suffering bad reviews on most of the products they are building . And reading consumers responses to the GM products is more than 80% negative .
Building those 180,000 mail trucks is a missed opportunity , IMO .
Totally stupid that General Motors is not competing for this contract.