WASHINGTON, D.C., February 24, 2021— Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) reacted to the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) decision to procure internal combustion engine fleets rather than all electric vehicles for its next-gen strategy.

"The decision by USPS to start off its next-generation delivery vehicles with last-generation technology is a missed opportunity," said Leah Rubin Shen, federal policy director at national business group Advanced Energy Economy. 

"Not only does it fly in the face of President Biden's executive order to shift to zero-emission vehicle fleets, it squanders the chance to put the Postal Service in the company of state and local governments and leading corporations that are moving to electrify their fleets. They are doing so because electric vehicles reduce operating costs, improve performance, and cut pollution in communities they serve," said Rubin Shen. "By way of contrast, yesterday's decision by Montgomery County Public Schools to electrify its entire school bus fleet demonstrates that fleet electrification can and should be done today, not down the road.”

"The federal government should be leading on this across the board. We urge the administration to enforce the president's EO on fleet electrification and call on Congress to invest in incentives for EVs of all classes, including electric school and transit buses, and charging infrastructure," said Rubin Shen.