1mo ago

Republicans can’t stop wasting money – they want to scrap USPS’ awesome EVs

electrek.co

Republicans can't stop wasting money: they want to scrap USPS' awesome EVs

News @lemmy.world

AmbiguousProps @lemmy.today

1mo ago

Republicans can’t stop wasting money – they want to scrap USPS’ awesome EVs

electrek.co /2025/06/22/republicans-cant-stop-wasting-money-they-want-to-scrap-usps-awesome-evs/

91 comments

Plus speedrunning the financial failure of the USPS will let them dismantle and privatize it
- Then Trump can roll out his Uber-like mail service company where the workers provide their own vehicles and 60% more mail goes "missing" in transit.
  
  You mean like ~~Hermes UK~~ Evri?
- At least UPS is unionized
- I recall they forced massive retirement debt on uses to cause downfall
  Most federal agencies receive annual congressional appropriations to contribute towards CSRS and FERS. The Postal Service does not. Instead, it's required to pay retirement contributions with agency revenue. USPS's retirement costs are significant, totaling $10 billion in 2023 alone.
Those things, from what I heard, are an absolute necessity of an upgrade for postal workers. They absolutely deserve those vehicles. Just like the vehicles probably deserve and hunger for the flesh of the people who want them gone.
- How so?
  
  Because the old vehicles are from the 90s and are massive pieces of shit?
  
  their old grumman LLV's are inefficient, cramped, HOT AS FUCK (no climate control you get a fan lol) that were harder and harder to keep on the road after nearly 4 decades of work. also, a tremendous amount of 'postal work' is not letters, but now packages - and these vehicles can't hold much compared to the new ones.
- I’m not gonna take your word for it. Gonna need a source showing the EV’s were well received and performing as expected.
  
  Even when provided with a source, people like you will still find a way to move the goal posts. GTFO.
  
  Here you go, ~~stupid embarrassment to your mother~~: https://apnews.com/article/postal-service-next-generation-delivery-vehicle-a2ebbfc7afec0eea2e036eef93bee4d9
  E: review of the selection process where letter carriers had direct input on the process, ~~clown-ass~~: https://fromatoarbitration.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Next-Generation-Delivery-Vehicle-NGDV.pdf
  
  The Deutsche Post developed their own EV because there wasn't something suitable on the market. They have now switched to a a modified version of a Ford E Transit.
Just because they're EVs...
What other technological innovations have political parties been (corrupt) allergic to?
I know Edison lobbied hard against AC power systems but there must be tons of examples over the years
- Train transport, public transportation in general.
- Hemp
- Renewable energy.
- vaccines
  
  It's crazy how if you'd asked me about vaccine hesitancy and conspiracy theories in 2019 I would've told you that extreme left wing hippy nut jobs are the archetype I associate with it, but then COVID hit and bam! Now it's the right wing nut jobs
The worse USPS functions, the more people are unable to vote.
- Is voting suppression even still a necessity for the GOP??
I don't know if the numbers compare, but I've talked to a postman here, and he told me that EVs save a lot of money for the postal service. Here, stick-shift is the way to go, and he told me that they basically wore down 1-2 clutches a year per car before swithching to EVs.
and here I was just thinking, "Hey, I hope someone can give away something my tax dollars already paid for again. I really liked when Scott Walker gave away our trains, what a swell guy"
- And your power plants!
- What trains did he give away?
  
  (Some of) the Wisconsin ones, I bet!
Only the supposed richest country in the world would force their postal employees to drive around in vehicles that were built in the 1980's. WTF! That is worse than 3rd World. FFS, the Deutsche Post use electric bicycles, electric delivery vehicles and modern Mercedes-Benz trucks. Invest in your fucking infrastructure AmeriKa.
- Making the country work? that's socialism
- Infrastructure must be paid for socially but owned privately and any and all repairs or future investments will be subsidized in order to please Jesus Christ the patron saint of Capitalism.
MAGAts are the worst form of stupid.
I am mad they want to get rid of them. We have already designed and started rolling them out. But I do think they look extremely ugly. Doesn't mean we should get rid of them.
- They look like that for accessibility, to be driveable and comfortable for even the tallest and shortest postal employees, and that makes them goddamn beautiful.
  
  I did not know that's why they look like that. Makes a lot of sense but the original (to me) postal truck will always have a special place in my heart.
- It's so cool that they're unique. Nothing is ever novel anymore. Cheapest most boring everything. Except for rich people. At least these have character
- Not like the old cars are pretty.
  
  I mean fair but that's what they have looked like my entire life. It's an icon.
- They are cute. :3
  Not ugly.
  car goes beep, beep
nah, they'll replace the EVs with trucks off a truck tree. Free tree trucks. Try saying that while you're drunk
- Probably all those unsold Cybertrucks
  
  yeah after they convert them back to oil burners. not even diesel, they'll go full on fuel oil.
Can I buy one to live in?
Jk, I don't have money
First-past-the-post wasting taxpayer money right there!
I totally want to buy a used one for $3000.00
That's how they operate now. They look on reddit for comments "oh next these fascists are going to ruin ..." and that is how they get their ideas.
Now shut the fuck up and enjoy your forever boot to the face. Remember, non-violence is the most important thing.
I've never seen one of those on the road yet, but whoever designed them should probably consider a career change.
EDIT: I've accepted that I'll just never understand why some things get down-voted here. Like, do people actually like the way that design looks?
It looks like a Grumman LLV somehow reproduced with a cartoon duck, a pug, and one of these:
- They look kind of dopey, but they look like they'd really do a good job of prioritizing safety for pedestrians, pets, and especially kids with the really low hood height. The minimum distance to see the road on that thing has got to be like three inches.
  
  Valid point.
  🤔 I wonder if it could have been designed without that part altogether. I've driven one of those flat-fronted Isuzu box trucks before, and it's crazy how much more you can see in front of the vehicle.
- Maybe you can counsel them on a career in "armchair social media influencer".
  Aim high, right?
  
  Not sure I follow. They designed them for social media? Or do you think I said anything referencing social media?
  Did you mean to reply to some other comment?
- You've stumbled into 3 very powerful headwinds buddy:
  1-Lemmy hates Republicans so they will support whatever Republicans are trying to get rid of
  2-Its an EV and EVs are cool
  3- Lemmy (especially c/FuckCars) HATES the new trend of trucks with very high grilles that block your view in front of you. The new mail trucks swing cartoonishly in the other direction, so it's pretty much their ideal truck.
  
  Ohhhh thank you for clearing some of this up! I'm still kinda new to this.
  That's wild how many people seem to fit all 3 dimensions — and so strongly that they're seemingly offended by some light criticism of any EV? Am I reading the situation right? (Edit: er, maybe it offended people that fit in one or two of those groups... Unions vs. intersections)
  Hot take (apparently): Some vehicles — including but not limited to EVs — are ugly. I stand by that.
  The old USPS delivery vehicle wasn't pretty either, but somehow I think nobody would be offended by that.
  I swear social media people make me feel like an alien sometimes lol

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