Why would we *NOT* replace government fleets with electrics?

[thebeave]

If all government vehicles were electric an EMP weapon or a solar flare could stop them all instantly.

Well, given how long it takes USPS to deliver a letter these days, how would you know?

 

[Elixir]

If all government vehicles were electric an EMP weapon or a solar flare could stop them all instantly.

Well, given how long it takes USPS to deliver a letter these days, how would you know?

Yeah, Louis DeJoy probably did us all a favor getting us used to post apocalyptic delivery times.

 

[Rhea]

Why is it that plug-in hybrids are always ignored, as if that technology does not exist, in the gas vs. EV debates?

A good solution for the ultra-rural and ultra cold routes.

 

[Toni]

Why is it that plug-in hybrids are always ignored, as if that technology does not exist, in the gas vs. EV debates?

A good solution for the ultra-rural and ultra cold routes.

How so?

 

[Rhea]

Converting to 100% EV vehicles is simply not practical, however desirable it might be from a fossil fuel perspective.

Did anyone suggest 100% EV vehicles?

I agree that 100% is not needed or proposed, though I admit my thread title did say, “why not replace the fleet,”. So let’s dig into that…

100% replacement would indeed create unworkable gaps.
But - given the nature of replacing the fleet - that it would never be all at once - I think we would avoid any serious issues by starting with replacing the oldest vehicles with all electric and expecting some protion of the fleet - like 10-20% to probably last another 10 years. During that time, good analysis of need could be done.

And some gas-powered could be shifted from one place to another.

Also, solar panels on the tops of the trucks.

 

[Rhea]

Why is it that plug-in hybrids are always ignored, as if that technology does not exist, in the gas vs. EV debates?

A good solution for the ultra-rural and ultra cold routes.

How so?

That it runs on the gas side when the battery side is depleted.

 

[Rhea]

USPS also delivers to small towns and rural areas, including some very rural areas where charging stations are currently non-existent or sufficiently far apart to make it problematic to have a totally EV vehicle

The plan would certainly be to have a charging station at the postal facility where they are parked every night.

 

[Rhea]

Mail routes can be well over 100 miles/day with the longest route I could find being something over 182 miles.

All currect EV ranges are oer 100 miles, most are over 200 miles.
The 182-mile route is well known to its home office, it is not a surprise. No driver is going to go out on the route and be surprised by its length. So that route can be the one where the 300-mile range vehicle is used, or reconfigured with other routes to account for 200-mile range vehicles.

 

[Rhea]

Full disclosure: I am on a Rural Route. My letter carrier most likely has one of those 100+ mile routes - they certainly drive like they are being chased by the Demons of Time and sometimes my mail doesn’t arrive until 7pm. There are no gas stations on the route, let alone charging stations (for most of it there is no pavement, either). We would figure out how to make EV work.

 

[TomC]

USPS also delivers to small towns and rural areas, including some very rural areas where charging stations are currently non-existent or sufficiently far apart to make it problematic to have a totally EV vehicle.

Do you consider people who live such lifestyles entitled to the same service available to people who live more efficient, greener, lifestyles? Urbanites have much smaller carbon footprints than rural folks.
Tom

 

[TomC]

Full disclosure: I am on a Rural Route. My letter carrier most likely has one of those 100+ mile routes - they certainly drive like they are being chased by the Demons of Time and sometimes my mail doesn’t arrive until 7pm. There are no gas stations on the route, let alone charging stations (for most of it there is no pavement, either). We would figure out how to make EV work.

Also, as was pointed out upthread, there are hybrids. Add a little bigger gas tank and you've got enormously extended range.
Tom

 

[Toni]

USPS also delivers to small towns and rural areas, including some very rural areas where charging stations are currently non-existent or sufficiently far apart to make it problematic to have a totally EV vehicle.

Do you consider people who live such lifestyles entitled to the same service available to people who live more efficient, greener, lifestyles? Urbanites have much smaller carbon footprints than rural folks.
Tom

I believe that all Americans are entitled to government services.

Radware Bot Manager Captcha

Several of these studies have compared the absolute carbon footprints between urban, suburban and rural areas (Minx et al 2013, Ottelin et al 2015, Maraseni et al 2016, Zhang et al 2016, Wiedenhofer et al 2018). The majority of these studies have found the highest carbon footprints in the most urbanised areas

 

[skepticalbip]

USPS also delivers to small towns and rural areas, including some very rural areas where charging stations are currently non-existent or sufficiently far apart to make it problematic to have a totally EV vehicle.

Do you consider people who live such lifestyles entitled to the same service available to people who live more efficient, greener, lifestyles? Urbanites have much smaller carbon footprints than rural folks.
Tom

Certainly. Those people who "live such lifestyles" are necessary for urbanites to be able to live their lifestyles. Without them, the urbanites would have nothing to eat... delivered to them along those interstate highways.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Why is it that plug-in hybrids are always ignored, as if that technology does not exist, in the gas vs. EV debates?

Yeah, while I agree EVs aren't practical for most postal use that doesn't apply to hybrids. All that start-stop would be great for regenerative braking.

 

[Rhea]

USPS also delivers to small towns and rural areas, including some very rural areas where charging stations are currently non-existent or sufficiently far apart to make it problematic to have a totally EV vehicle.

Do you consider people who live such lifestyles entitled to the same service available to people who live more efficient, greener, lifestyles? Urbanites have much smaller carbon footprints than rural folks.
Tom

I believe that all Americans are entitled to government services.

Radware Bot Manager Captcha

Several of these studies have compared the absolute carbon footprints between urban, suburban and rural areas (Minx et al 2013, Ottelin et al 2015, Maraseni et al 2016, Zhang et al 2016, Wiedenhofer et al 2018). The majority of these studies have found the highest carbon footprints in the most urbanised areas

I did not know that. I always thought the urbanites were the most efficient.

 

[Rhea]

Why is it that plug-in hybrids are always ignored, as if that technology does not exist, in the gas vs. EV debates?

Yeah, while I agree EVs aren't practical for most postal use that doesn't apply to hybrids. All that start-stop would be great for regenerative braking.

Why do you think they are impractical “for most postal use”?
They seem eminently practical to me, for the reasons stated in the OP.

 

[TomC]

I did not know that. I always thought the urbanites were the most efficient.

They are.

Far more efficient to live in a dense urban place, with apartments and public transportation and walkable lives.

Tom

 

[Toni]

Why is it that plug-in hybrids are always ignored, as if that technology does not exist, in the gas vs. EV debates?

A good solution for the ultra-rural and ultra cold routes.

How so?

That it runs on the gas side when the battery side is depleted.

I get what you mean. We currently have a hybrid that does not use a plug in—which was essential for us to even consider a hybrid. Too few plug in stations in our area and it would have required a big outlay of cash to install a plug in our garage.

 

[TomC]

Why is it that plug-in hybrids are always ignored, as if that technology does not exist, in the gas vs. EV debates?

Yeah, while I agree EVs aren't practical for most postal use that doesn't apply to hybrids. All that start-stop would be great for regenerative braking.

EVs use regenerative braking.

Why do you think that EVs aren't practical for a trip of 100 miles or less, beginning and ending in the same place every day?
Tom

 

[Toni]

I did not know that. I always thought the urbanites were the most efficient.

They are.

Far more efficient to live in a dense urban place, with apartments and public transportation and walkable lives.

Tom

Gotta love those links!