The United States Postal Service (USPS) is undertaking a significant initiative to modernize its delivery fleet by incorporating electric vehicles (EVs) and establishing a comprehensive national network of EV charging stations. To this end, the USPS plans to acquire approximately 66,000 electric delivery vehicles by 2028, aiming to create one of the largest electric vehicle fleets in the nation, requiring tens of thousands of charging stations, nationwide.

In support of the program, USPS has unveiled its first set of electric vehicles (EV) charging stations at the South Atlanta Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC) in Atlanta, Georgia. This facility is a key component of USPS’s initiative to deploy the world’s largest fleet of electric vehicles, with plans to have more than 66,000 EV’s on the road once the conversion is complete.

The Atlanta S&DC, a 1.2 million square foot facility serves as a showcase for USPS’s commitment to electrification and modernization of its delivery fleet. This project is part of the $40 billion investment strategy to upgrade and improve its processing, transportation, and delivery networks.

EEI provided comprehensive commissioning services for the USPS Atlanta S&DC Development
project which included:

• Inspection and testing of new electrical infrastructure supplying power to the Electric Vehicle
  Charging Stations (EVSEs).
• Thorough testing of each EVSE unit.
• Review of civil aspects in parking lots where vehicles and EVSE’s were installed.

Key Activities

• Design Reviews: EEI’s team conducted design reviews and electrical load calculations to
  verify the infrastructure could support the charging demands.
• EVSE Testing: They tested EVSEs for proper output and safety features.
• Load Management: The team worked with EVSE manufacturers to establish load
  management and load sharing functions.
• On-site Support: EEI provided on-site assistance for troubleshooting issues.
• Documentation: Detailed reports and commissioning punch list logs were maintained to track
  issues to resolution.

Project Significance

This project marks the beginning of USPS’s nationwide rollout of EV charging infrastructure. The Atlanta S&DC is the first of hundreds of new Sorting and Delivery Centers across the country that will be equipped with EV charging infrastructure throughout 2024. The deployment of electric delivery trucks will start in Georgia and then expand to other parts of the country.

The USPS plans to install charging stations at hundreds of new S&DCs across the country throughout the year, supporting what will be become the nation’s largest EV fleet. This initiative aligns with the Postal Service’s goal of creating a best-in-class mail and package processing network as part of its 10-year strategic Delivering for America plan. EEI is proud to be a key partner with USPS in the success of this important program and is supporting multiple projects across the US.