A Reddit user snapped a photograph of the new 2023 Oshkosh Defense Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) mail truck this week, giving us an early look at the vehicle in the real world before it’s deployed by the United States Postal Service next year.
The USPS announced last February that Oshkosh Defense had been awarded the $3.1 billion federal contract to provide it with 50,000 to 165,000 mail trucks over a period of 10 years. Oshkosh was up against two other companies to win the contract, Workhorse and Karsan, however Workhorse eventually emerged as the company’s central rival in the bidding process.
When the USPS announced Oshkosh had received the contract, Workhorse attempted to sue the government agency, alleging there was bias in the selection process. Workhorse later dropped the suit amid internal controversies within the company driven by a short-seller report that accused it of fraud.
With Workhorse out of the picture, Oshkosh is now working to deliver the first examples of its NGDV mail truck to the USPS. The Reddit user that captured the above spy photo saw the vehicle, which is designed to accommodate both gasoline and battery-electric powertrains, being loaded into a truck in Saticoy, California. In addition to a more spacious cabin, larger cargo section and up-to-date powertrains, the Oshkosh NGDV will also offer other advantages, including air conditioning and heating, improved ergonomics, 360-degree exterior cameras, traction control, air bags and front and rear collision avoidance with automatic braking.
Grumman LLV
The Grumman Long Life Vehicle (LLV) that the NGDV will replace was based on General Motors hardware. These vehicles ride a modified version of the GMT330 platform, along with either a 2.5L Iron Duke I-4 gasoline engine or a GM 2.2L I-4. These vehicles also incorporated the front suspension and instrument cluster from the Chevy S-10. The USPS has a fleet of roughly 140,00 Grumman LLV vehicles, which will be slowly replaced by the NGDV over the coming years.
While GM did not attempt to bid for the USPS contract, the automaker’s GM Defense arm recently won a separate federal contract for the U.S. Army with its Chevy Colorado-based Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV).
Subscribe to GM Authority for around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
That’s a huge windshield or at least looks like it from the pix. Maybe it’s just me but the front end reminds me of a duck bill
The USPO vehicles currently about to be replaced were tested y GM years ago on a contract but did all the testing free. Bob Rogers was the engineer assigned to that project at GM proving ground, Milford Mi (now deceased). The Post Office was so impressed they wanted to hire Bob full time to work for the government. That must be at least 50 years ago. That testing demonstrates the ethics of GM management which is and has always been way above the other vehicle manufacturers.
It’s funny did they ever think how hot a greenhouse gets in the Az. sun just one more way to kill mail carriers what they try to get rid of mail
Lol reminds me of kids using magnifying glasses to fry ants in the summer time.
The USPS also sells the federal duck endorsement stamp for your state hunting license!
Huh, suddenly the old Grumman LLV doesn’t look so weird.
It’s very not weird if you’ve seen European box vans, specifically those that came from Rover/Leyland. See the Freight Rover Sherpa 350 with a high roof.
The reason why we have blunt-nose vans in the US is an IRS tax regulation that work vans can only be 30 inches from the front to the bottom of the windshield. You can see in both designs that logically the USPS doesn’t care about this.
Since you brought up Europe, all I see is a Fiat Multipla in RV form.
I am really surprised that with the current government push for electric vehicles that these are even going to be available as gasoline powered.
I think it needs more windshield….
…and, don’t forget, -more cowbell! 😉
I love that a GM website is reporting on a Ford. Awesome haha
I hope they’re functional because even the “Bills” will be embarrassed to delivered by those ugly looking vans. Will they even have mail to be delivered in 10 years time.
The point is these vehicles have more interior space (for parcels). They’re being designed for parcel delivery, not mail delivery.
Love the hugh windshields EXCEPT when living in a high temperature like the deserts! It will be a magnifying glass increasing high interior temps and finding a rare AC vehicle in the old style. With high temps I wonder the life span on electric powered vans and I guess another hugh price for electrical upgrades for the post offices where they park these units. Better start now as it will take several years to have it up and running
Now lets look at California, They will not allow fossil powered vehicles and additional shore power restrictions due to power infrastructure shortages. No charging at night means no mail delivery.
Chuck
Chuck: I agree with you on ‘starting now’ for USPS to go BEV (not hybrid). See my comment posted. At least their Oshkosh power train will handle either ICE or BEV powered vehicle. With only 10% of Oshkosh production being BEV, USPS will be way behind the curve in reducing carbon footprint overall. Regarding charging. In sunshine states (like Florida, Californian and lower southwest and south states, USPS could build infrastructure to do what public buses do……built solar energy vehicle ports for charging overnight. That will be a enormous task since buses have a main hub and USPS vehicles have station hubs for their vehicles. So building a all BEV fleet for USPS should be looked at where solar power is best.
I wonder if they could tint the windows?
It’s illegal to have the windshield tinted in any vehicle.
All well and good on Oshkosh bing awarded contract. Good to know powertrain will handle electric BEV as well as ICE driven. However, to really stay ahead of the ‘curve’ USPS should increase from what I understand is only 10% of their new fleet being all electric to at least 50% electric. If USPS Only avenue is for a Hybrid in Oshkosh vehicle, USPS and Oshkosh are on the losing side for our planet’s future in reducing ‘carbon footprint.’ BTW: Current USPS fleet is a horrible producer of carbon. They actually stink and release more carbon since they are over 20 years older!
The design is obviously for safety. Have you seen new school buses lately? Similar windshield size.
George: Have not actually viewed a new school bus on Southeast Florida as yet. Are we talking BEV or ICE driven?
No, they are not yet EV but the windshield is very low for visibility. It should be the same everywhere. I’m now in Orange County.
I can hear my My postal carrier coming a block away, very distinctive muffler. Electric vehicle will screw me up!
Ha,ha,ha, so will steam engines and pony express screw us up. LOL ALL LOVE! PS EV USPS vehicles will make USPS ‘silent but deadly!’ 😀
My land that thing is ugly.
Let’s hope it doesn’t make the mail any slower.
How about linking back to that reddit post? You don’t even mention the guys username.
Screw Reddit.
Seems like any postal workers who will drive this new vehicle will appreciate the upgraded creature comforts and safety features installed. But I have to question the windshield. That looks like a whoppingly expensive piece of glass to replace versus the flat panel glass in the current vehicle.
I could care less what these vehicles look like. They can be the ugliest thing on the planet as long as they get my mail to me. My concern, if any, would be: are they, will they be safe, functional, efficient, and reliable for the intended purpose?
34 years ,the DJ jeep was the worse,no p.b or p.s.but liked spring loaded windows and roof vents kept summer heat at bay,llv drove like a car before it was worn out,cloth seats ps pb but no roof vents and heat is like sauna.but cold in winter now.ffv is fun to drive! V6 ps pb.fast and handles great! But again.. aluminum body no vents in roof,can’t walk to cargo area from front,heat is sauna.in august july.any temp over 80.brutal! I don’t care if new truck is pink poco dots!give the electric drive to blue state idiots,give me gas and ice cold a.c.ill die happy.
NGDV = not gonna deliVer
That huge windshield will be expensive to replace. Just ask anyone who has ever owned a Class A motor home
To me it’s very ugly and bulky looking not very aerodynamic and it looks like it would be a wind catcher and squirrely if strong wind caught it.
With the Postal Service talking about some of them being EV how much is it going to cost to put in charging stations and how many well they put in because some post offices have fifty or more mail trucks that work out of them. And because of this that means that stamps well probably be going up in price again.
I read an article in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago and the cost of a charging station was shocking, over $100,000. per if memory serves. Of course the post office would not have to aquire property and that would help, but they aren’t cheap. Lets face it, until the Electric grid converts from fossil fuels to renewable energy, all you’re really doing is moving the pollution from one place to another.
They needn’t try so hard to make it so ugly. Drivers need not to be in AZ to fry like ants with all that glass. There is the issue of safty as well! What makes anyone think this will improve service by making workers miserable?
Hope the windshield defroster works!