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Ford Electric Postal Vehicle Debuts in Los Angeles

12 July 2000

    LOS ANGELES - The first Ford electric postal vehicles are debuting here 
today, as part of the single largest electric vehicle order in U.S. history.  
The vehicles, to be used by the United States Postal Service (USPS), are being 
produced in a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Baker Electromotive.  
These first two electric postal vehicles will be put into use immediately by 
the Fountain Valley Post Office.

    The USPS will receive 500 electric postal vehicles in the first evaluation
phase of this program, with the option to purchase an additional 5500 units
based on the vehicle's performance and cost effectiveness.

    "Today we are seeing the results of five years of work in bringing the
world's largest, most expansive, most aggressive electric vehicle program to
Rome, said Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY).  "I am most pleased that we
are now seeing tangible results from the partnership between the U.S. Postal
Service and Baker-Ford, which represents a marriage of my two highest
priorities -- environmental protection and economic development for Central
New York.  This is just the beginning and our best days are ahead of us."

    The electric postal vehicle is built on the Ford Ranger EV platform, the
highest volume full size electric vehicle sold in North America.  More than
1000 Ranger EVs are in use by customers throughout the United States and
Canada.

    "This program is an ideal application for a full-size battery electric
vehicle," said Bruce Kopf, director of Ford Motor Company's TH!NK
Technologies.

    "Ford is committed to developing clean and efficient vehicle technology
and we are eager to be on the cutting edge of both electric and alternative
fuel delivery service vehicles."

    Postal routes average between 15 and 20 miles per day, allowing the
vehicles to return to a central location to charge overnight.  Convenience and
cost are key factors in helping Ford and the USPS to make this goal a reality.
"Incentive dollars from California, the Federal government, New York State,
Washington D.C. and partnering utility companies have allowed the electric
postal vehicles to be priced closely to a flexible fuel service vehicle," says
Skip Baker, president, Baker Electromotive.

    "The Postal Service is pleased to continue its leadership role in
advancing the use of alternative fuel vehicles by expanding our AFV fleet to
include electric vehicles, said Dennis Baca, Manager, Environmental Policy.
"Good business practices and the need to be cost effective as well as
environmentally responsible are just a few reasons for the Postal Service to
incorporate this cutting edge technology into our delivery fleet and Ford is
helping us to meet this goal."

    Final assembly of the postal EVs will take place at Baker Electromotive
outside Rome, N.Y. in the Griffiss Business and Technology Park.  Baker's
facility was most recently the nuclear maintenance facility for the US Air
Force Strategic Air Command at Griffiss AFB.  Most of the initial postal
vehicles will be used for mail delivery in California, with the remainder
going to the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.