Sen. Tom Carper fully supports the United States Postal Service buying electric delivery vehicles as it transforms its delivery fleet.
The U.S. Postal Service announced earlier this week it plans to buy at least 66,000 electric delivery vehicles - more than half the 106,000 vehicles it plans to acquire until 2028.
These vehicles will start replacing the older fleet of 220,000 vehicles according to the Postal Service.
Carper is excited about the USPS moving toward an all-electric fleet in the future.
"I think what is most interesting in this next iteration for the Postal Service to actually say that they're going to reach a point - I think beginning in 2026 - where 100% of the vehicles they buy will be electric," said Carper.
Carper has engaged with the USPS and Biden Administration for the last two years on the need for the Postal Service to electrify its delivery fleet.
Sen. Carper says this commitment helps the USPS lead by example.
"The Postal Service is one of the largest fleets of vehicles in the country, in the country, and I learned this in the Navy, leadership by example,” said Carper. “It's important for the Postal Service to lead by example, and if the government has a huge fleet of over 200,000 vehicles in the Postal Service and they're driving around in diesel vehicles and polluting the air contributing to global warming, how do we expect the rest of the country to do differently."
The new vehicles, unlike the ones they replace, will have air conditioning and advanced safety technology, and will be more suited to modern day operational requirements.
The total investment is expected to be at least $9.6 billion with $3 billion coming from Inflation Reduction Act funds.