Senate Ernst Calls $3 Billion EV Fiasco a Total Failure

IOWA (AP) — Despite more than $3 billion in taxpayer funding, the U.S. Postal Service’s push for an all-electric mail fleet is stalled, according to Sen. Joni Ernst.

Ernst, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Caucus, sent letters regarding the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle program on Tuesday to raise awareness of what she termed a “boondoggle.”

USPS Vice President of Government Relations Peter Pastre confirmed deliveries are behind schedule in her letter dated Nov. 17, 2025.

“Here is a fact-check for the USPS,” Ernst stated after receiving the agency’s response. “Spending $1.7 billion to produce only 612 EVs is a tremendous waste.”

As of November 10th, only 612 battery-electric NGDV trucks are actually serving routes, with most deliveries still pending despite orders being placed.

The Biden administration championed the program as part of the broader effort to replace more than 100,000 aging mail trucks by 2028. However, President Joe Biden has “stated” that none of the $3 billion allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act is available for rescission.

Ernst noted that while many locations across the country now have NGDV deliveries, production numbers remain low. “They produced only six or seven percent of the contracted 8,705 battery-electric NGDVs,” she said in her letter to Pastre.

Compounding the issue are nearly 6,900 Ford E-Transit vehicles that are incompatible for most USPS routes because they are standard left-hand-drive models. These cannot be used effectively until modified or replaced with right-hand-drive versions suitable for curbside deliveries.

USPS insists delays in NGDV production are normal for a brand-new manufacturing line by Oshkosh. But the agency’s own figures show progress has been significantly slower than expected, raising concerns about taxpayer funds being “wasted.”

“Their own numbers indicate they have produced only 612 of these battery-electric trucks that were specifically designed and ordered,” Ernst wrote.

Ernst told reporters Wednesday she is pushing for answers from USPS leadership. “As if that was not bad enough, we are also going to receive news about the additional 6,700 Ford E-Transits that aren’t even being used yet.”

“I want Americans across this nation to know what’s happening with their taxpayer dollars,” said Sen Joni Ernst.

Meanwhile, USPS continues buying internal combustion vehicles. Frum confirmed plans to acquire 40,250 gas-powered delivery trucks while also touting ambitious NGDV goals in the same press release.

The agency has already taken in 26,341 gasoline-powered mailers including Mercedes Metris vans and Ram ProMasters. These are essential for curbside deliveries which require right-hand-drive configurations not currently available on electric models ordered under IRA funding guidelines.