Chrysler Reveals Electric Minivan for USPS

[SVOboy]

In case you’ve forgotten what day it is today, it’s Earth Day! To celebrate, Chrysler is showing off its electric minivan in United States Postal Service colors. Along with the nice paint jobs, Chrysler has announced that it will apply for the Department of Energy’s Transportation Electrification stimulus program alongside the USPS. As Chrysler likes to [...] Related posts:

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[PaleMelanesian]

Coming from Chrysler, I'll believe it when I see it. Just throwing a bunch of batteries at a current design is somewhat less than optimal. The inefficiencies of the vehicle must be counteracted by more, heavier, and more expensive batteries. It's not cost effective without streamlining the car first.

[SVOboy]

But it's also a vehicle they already have and are only planning for fleet service, so they can more easily design to whatever specific needs there are.

[MetroMPG]

It's a bald faced marketing ploy, and someone working in PR for Chrysler tallying media hits will place the appearance of the story in EcoModder's blog in the "success" column of a spreadsheet somewhere.

But that's just my opinion.

Not saying they won't produce any for USPS, but they don't plan to build em for public consumption. They certainly don't need a demonstration project.

[drainoil]

Well its been a few years since this supposedly happened. I have never actually seen one here in MN and I've asked my mail carrier and a few others I've run into and they all say they never even heard of the USPS buying something like these.

Anyone know if more than a couple test mules ever made it into actual USPS service??

Chrysler unveils new electric minivan for the US Postal Service

I agree it likely was a bs scam from Chrysler to portray the public image they would offer such a vehicle to be utilized for such service.

[ASV]

meh it's just like the hydraulic cargo truck for UPS
they made one or two it worked amazing got some free advertising out of it
and off to the junk heap

[rmay635703]

https://m.facebook.com/groups/152981...33&ref=m_notif

Chrysler likely thought it could compete in the ongoing USPS replacement project,

Looking at the list of competitors Chrysler is nowhere to be found

[samwichse]

Holy necroposting, batman!

Also, I have one of those gasp-causing Fiat 500's now in the even more gasp-causing Abarth version. Great gas mileage if you can stay off it .

36 mpg driving like a total jerk (accelerating hard, 80 mph on the highway stretch)
40 mpg driving "normally"
44 mpg driving with an eye for eco
I imagine 50 mpg would be attainable if you put eco tires on it pumped them to the max and drove 55 mph highway and short shifted/coasted more.

[oil pan 4]

An electric mail van would be a good application for an EV. Since they only get driven for about 8 hours or so then stay parked for at least 12 hours at a commercial building that likely has plenty of 3 phase capacity for charging a bunch of vehicles.

My power bill murdering leaf gets the equivalent of around 120mpg with out even trying.
The electric postal van would likely get close to that.