USPS To Electrify Some LLV's With Help Of Tanfield Group

A Gasoline Powered LLV





Following is a press release from Tanfield that describes its efforts to electrify the long life vehicles (LLV's) that are used to deliver mail. We see these vehicles everywhere during the day and it only makes sense to use electric propulsion considering the low overall range these vans need to drive every day. Once the shift is over, the letter carrier parks the vehicle, plugs it in and it will be ready again in the morning.

SEV US Corp to develop jointly with AM General, a prototype electric postal delivery vehicle for the US Postal Service
*

SEV US Corp customers win additional $4.5m Federal grant funding for 65 Smith trucks through the Clean City Program
*

Strong demand for Newton electric truck: SEV US Corp order book now stands 255 trucks
*

Tanfield confirmed as largest supplier to UK's Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme
*

Renewed focus on production ready medium duty electric vans and light duty trucks (Newton and Edison)
*

Withdrawal from electric car-derived van development : Termination of US Ford Transit Connect project

Tanfield is pleased to announce further developments from its associate company, Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp ("SEV US Corp").

SEV US Corp, together with AM General, a leading manufacturer of military and commercial vehicles, headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, USA, is developing a prototype electric version of the gasoline-powered Long Life Vehicle for the United States Postal Service ("USPS"). There are currently approximately 178,000 Long Life Vehicles in service with the USPS. AM General will manufacture the chassis and SEV US Corp will supply the electric drive train, including the motor, battery pack, electronics and ancillary systems.

Darren Kell, CEO of The Tanfield Group Plc, said: "With AM General we combine a global leader in specialist vehicles with a world leader in electric vehicle integration. The goal is to deliver an electric vehicle that is perfect for the United States Postal Service; a vehicle that is energy efficient, cost-effective, reduces US reliance on oil and lowers greenhouse gas emissions."

As announced on 6 August 2009, SEV US Corp won $10m in grant funding from the US Department of Energy (DoE), to facilitate its growth towards volume production and to build a demonstration fleet of electric trucks. In addition, SEV US Corp customers have been awarded funding for 65 Smith Newton electric trucks, amounting to $4.5m, through the US Clean Cities Program. SEV US Corp is applying for more funding through the US Government "green vehicles" programmes.

SEV US Corp has commenced production of the Smith Newton electric truck platform at its assembly facility in Kansas City, Missouri. Appetite for the Smith Newton truck is strong in North America and SEV US Corp now has an order book of 255 trucks.

some of the USPS LLV fleet. We see these long lasting vehicles (LLV) everywhere as they make their rounds in the neighborhood. The urban and even suburban letter carries that use a truck are a no-brainer when it comes to electrical propulsion. The vehicle is returned to the Post Office after a shift and plugged in overnight where it is ready for duty the next day.