Mahindra to Produce USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) Prototypes
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced that Mahindra has been selected to deliver NGDV prototype vehicles for testing as the result of a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) issued October, 2015.
DETROIT, Oct. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Mahindra is one of six vehicle manufacturers the USPS selected to produce prototypes for testing and evaluation. The awardees will have approximately one year from contract award to design and deliver their prototypes. Production requirements and future vehicle replacement awards will be determined by USPS after NGDV Prototype testing.
Mahindra’s engineering and design proposal was led by their Southeast Michigan-based Mahindra North American Technical Center (MNATC). Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, MNATC has leveraged the significant pool of automotive engineering talent that thrives in the Detroit area to create innovative vehicle designs for the U.S. market. MNATC’s team submitted a proposal emphasizing safety, ergonomics and fuel economy all within a ground-up approach to vehicle integration.
The USPS operates over 200,000 vehicles in all areas of the United States and its territories. More than 160,000 of these are right-hand drive vehicles that need to be replaced with the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV). The potential also exists to replace the other 20,000 plus left hand drive vehicles with the NGDV along with adding this vehicle to the 30,000 plus rural routes that use their own vehicle to deliver.
In a presentation by USPS to prospective suppliers the next mail truck would need total cargo space of 330 to 400 cubic feet, a minimum clear floor space of 72″ by 108″, 76″ of headroom, and a clear bulkhead passage that’s 30″ wide. USPS is requiring a larger vehicle to accommodate the growing parcel business.
NGDV Specification
•18 – 20 year planned service life
•Right-hand steering, 2-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive option
•Heavy-duty, automatic transmission, traction-control functionality
•Rear and forward wheels align
•Van-style body with integral cargo and cab compartment constructed of aluminum alloy or composite materials; sliding side doors
•Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) certified with driver side airbag
•Minimum 1500 lb payload capacity (driver plus cargo)
•Air conditioning (optional)
USPS NGDV Specification Article
