United States Postal Service Rolls Out the Nation's Largest Fleet of Electric Vehicles

    LOS ANGELES--Sept. 19, 2002--When Benjamin Franklin, the nation's first Postmaster General, discovered electricity in 1750 he could never have envisioned that one day it would be used to power the vehicles that deliver the mail.
    But that is exactly what has happened. The United States Postal Service, in partnership with the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) and the Coalition for Clean Air, will join together today to roll out the nation's largest fleet of electric vehicles.
    The launch will take place today at the Bicentennial Station Post Office (located at 7610 Beverly Blvd.) at 10 a.m., where the Los Angeles Postal District Manager, William Almaraz, will be joined by City Councilman Tom LaBonge and representatives from the MSRC and LADWP to officially "flip the switch" on the vehicles and announce the roll out of nearly 400 Postal Service electric vehicles in the Los Angeles area.
    "These electric vehicles will help us reduce the emissions going into the air every day from gasoline-powered vehicles," said MSRC Chairman and Mayor of Palm Springs, William G. Kleindienst. "The deployment of the new Postal Service electric delivery vehicles is great for the environment and great for Southland residents who will have their mail delivered pollution free."
    The battery-powered Postal Service electric vehicles, or "EVs," can be driven approximately 50 miles before recharging and can accelerate from 0-50 mph in 12.5 seconds, a rate similar to that of their gasoline-powered counterparts. But unlike standard gasoline engine vehicles, the EVs do not have tailpipes, keeping the vehicles free of exhaust fumes and noise. Additionally, while 72 million gallons of gasoline are wasted annually in Los Angeles by gasoline-powered cars sitting in traffic, battery-powered EVs waste no energy while remaining idle -- making them the ideal vehicles for the constant stop-and-go routine of mail carriers.
    "The average mail carrier can make between 400 to 600 stops per day," noted Los Angeles Postal District Manager, William Almaraz. "Through the use of these zero-emission delivery vehicles we can help contribute to the improvement of air quality in many of the communities and neighborhoods that we serve."
    The Postal Service has long been an award-winning environmental leader. Currently, the Postal Service has a fleet of nearly 600 electric vehicles, which deliver mail in New York, Washington, D.C. and California. The majority of the Postal Service EV fleet operates in California, with nearly 400 vehicles deployed in the greater Los Angeles area.
    The purchase of the Postal Service electric delivery vehicles was made possible by several funding partners, including the State of California, the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Committee and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. While a postal EV costs $42,000, twice as much as a standard gasoline engine delivery vehicle, the Postal Service was able to purchase each EV for approximately $22,000, thanks to funding provided by each partner.
    "We are proud to partner with the Postal Service to make such an important contribution to the public and the environment," said David H. Wiggs, General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. "Converting postal vehicles to electric will result in significant fuel saving, as well as additional savings realized by the special charging rates for the many charging stations the LADWP provided. We are also proud of the solar generating system that was installed at the Marina del Rey Post Office. The purchase and launch of this clean air fleet is an important example of various agencies coming together to make significant strides in improving the overall quality of life."
    The electric delivery vehicles will be on display during the news conference. Additionally, members of the news media are invited to participate in a ride-along with postal carriers to experience an EV firsthand.