The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced Tuesday plans to invest nearly $10 billion over the next five years to electrify its delivery fleet, with the expected deployment of more than 66,000 electric vehicles.

The investment forms part of the USPS’ plan to begin replacing its current delivery fleet of more than 220,000 vehicles, which will include the deployment of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs), a new class of delivery vehicles incorporating technologies to better accommodate a diverse mail mix, enhance safety, improve service, reduce emissions and produce operational savings.

The USPS anticipates deploying at least 60,000 NGVDs by 2028, with at least 75%, or 45,000, as electric vehicles. Additionally, the USPS expects to purchase 21,000 additional commercial off-the-shelf electric vehicles by 2028.

While the USPS expects to include internal combustion vehicle purchases in order to meet immediate vehicle replacement needs, the postal service said that all NGDV and commercial off-the-shelf vehicles delivered after 2026 under the new investment plan are expected to be 100% electric, and that it will explore the feasibility of achieving 100% electrification for its delivery vehicle fleet.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said:

“We have a statutory requirement to deliver mail and packages to 163 million addresses six days per week and to cover our costs in doing so – that is our mission. As I have said in the past, if we can achieve those objectives in a more environmentally responsible way, we will do so.”

A White House statement following the announcement said that the plan to electrify the USPS fleet, the largest vehicle fleet in the U.S. Federal government, “sets the bar for the rest of the Federal government.” The USPS initiative follows an executive order by President Biden last year calling on federal agencies to purchase 100% zero emissions vehicles by 2035, and the government’s goal for zero emission vehicles to make up half of new vehicle sales in the U.S. by 2030.

Funding for the $9.6 billion plan will come primarily from USPS revenues, and will also include $3 billion in congressional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.

John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, said:

“We commend the U.S. Postal Service. The USPS plan leverages the $3 billion provided by the Inflation Reduction Act to hit the target of 100% electric delivery vehicle purchases in 2026, sets the postal fleet on a course for electrification, significantly reduces vehicles miles traveled in the network, and places USPS at the forefront of the clean transportation revolution.”