USPS Purchases 6 Canoo EV Vans as Part of Exploratory Efforts

Lucky Enough to Spot These Adorable Canoo EV Mail Trucks.

Despite its lack of car deliveries to date, Canoo has been making a splash in the EV industry by securing partnerships with various government agencies. Their first was with NASA for shuttle transportation vehicles, followed by a collaboration with the Oklahoma state government. Even the US Army took notice and evaluated Canoo’s capabilities. Now, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is also jumping on the bandwagon and considering Canoo’s compact mail delivery vans for their fleet.

In a recent move, the USPS has acquired six Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle 190s, all of which are right-hand drive and an extended version of its electric van. These vans come equipped with an enclosed rear cargo hold. However, the number of vehicles being purchased stands at a mere six.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) should have the ability to achieve approximately 200 miles of range with the Canoo LDV 190. This vehicle is equipped with a 79.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack and has DC fast charging capabilities. The base version of the Canoo LDV 190 also boasts 200 horsepower, while certain specifications allow for up to 350 horsepower. Additionally, the cargo area has a capacity of 172.0 cubic feet and can transport up to 1,624 pounds of mail. Canoo CEO Tony Aquila explains that converting these vehicles to right-hand drive was a relatively straightforward process.

According to Aquila, the multi-purpose platform equipped with steer-by-wire technology and a distinctive low-profile suspension system offers the convenience of a customizable right-hand drive system.

The electric delivery vehicles hold a minor part in the Postal Service’s extensive $40 billion initiative to modernize and enhance their existing fleet. In 2022, the government declared that Oshkosh Defense would construct a new batch of postal trucks for USPS. However, due to complications in the powertrain, the updated mail trucks have been postponed until the end of this year.

The six Canoo vans are expected to be handed over to the USPS in the beginning of this year and there is a possibility that both USPS EVs and Oshkosh mail trucks could be in operation by the end of 2024.

According to a recent statement from the United States Postal Service (USPS) to Motor1, the organization has expressed its commitment to researching and evaluating “commercial-off-the-shelf electric delivery vehicles” that have the potential to fulfill the specific needs of their delivery mission. This means that if the USPS is impressed by the capabilities of Canoo’s electric vehicle, we may witness a significant increase in the presence of government-owned startup electric vans in the coming years.