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54-554: The FFV is similar in appearance to and has the same purpose as the earlier Grumman LLV ; it can be distinguished from the LLV by the presence of a cargo-area window behind the street-side sliding door of the FFV. The USPS solicited an offer to bid from Ford and Utilimaster in August 1998 for a fleet order of 10,000 vehicles to replace Jeep DJ-5 delivery vehicles. At the time, the phased implementation of

108-561: A Vice Media investigation, 407 LLVs have been damaged or destroyed since May 2014. In some areas, LLVs have been supplemented or replaced with vans and minivans , including the 2008–2010 purchase of Dodge Grand Caravan and Chevrolet Uplander minivans, which tend to be more comfortable for postal workers, especially in extreme climates. The United States Postal Service has announced it would purchase 7,160 Ram ProMaster (to replace Caravan and Uplander vehicles) and up to 30,608 right-hand-drive Mercedes-Benz Metris vehicles as part of

162-476: A 24,000 mi (39,000 km) road test, including frequent starts and stops, gravel surfaces, cobblestones and potholes, hauling a payload of up to 2,000 lb (910 kg). Previously, Grumman had built a limited number of KurbWatts , a battery electric vehicle with an aluminum delivery van body, which was tested by the USPS in the early 1980s. At about the same time, Grumman also built 500 KubVans, which used

216-537: A 26% decrease in fuel economy. Grumman LLV The Grumman Long Life Vehicle ( LLV ) is an American light transport truck model designed as a mail truck for the United States Postal Service , which has been its primary user since it first entered service in 1986, 38 years ago. It was also used by Canada Post . The LLV uses a chassis built by General Motors based on its Chevrolet S-10 with an aluminum body built by Grumman . In 2021, after

270-407: A 90-horsepower (91 PS; 67 kW) AC induction traction motor driving the rear wheels, drawing power from a 2,000 lb (910 kg) lead-acid battery consisting of 39 modules at 8 volts each, connected in series. It has a curb weight of 4,950 lb (2,250 kg) and a payload of 1,250 lb (570 kg); the estimated driving range is 50 mi (80 km) and the maximum speed

324-471: A chassis built by Ford Motor Company with a body built by Utilimaster . In 2010, approximately 140,000 LLVs remained in the USPS delivery fleet; retirement and attrition had reduced that to 126,000 by 2021. A number were also sold to Canada, Mexico, and several other countries. Like the older postal-service Jeep DJ-5, the Grumman LLV features a right-hand-drive (RHD) configuration, in contrast to

378-481: A definitive agreement to acquire Hinowa S.p.A., a privately held international company and manufacturer of track-based aerial work platforms, mini dumpers, lift trucks and undercarriages. Once complete, Hinowa will become part of the Oshkosh Access Equipment segment. The current and recent main defense products of Oshkosh Defense include the following: Products for these market segments are produced under

432-571: A fire apparatus manufacturer in Appleton, Wisconsin , and JLG Industries , a manufacturer of lift equipment, including aerial lifts, boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers and low-level access lifts. Based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin , the company employs approximately 15,000 people around the world at 130 facilities in 24 countries. It is organized in four primary business groups: access equipment, defense, fire and emergency, and commercial. Founded in 1917 as

486-441: A heater prone to breaking down). The wheels and suspension are not suited for the all-terrain and all-weather needs of delivering mail and require snow chains during inclement weather. Also, because the windshield washer fluid line is routed above the fusebox, LLVs are prone to catching fire; between 2015 and 2019, over 120 fires occurred. According to documents obtained in 2020 via a Freedom of Information Act request as part of

540-441: A joint-venture bid involving Workhorse and VT Hackney. Half of the prototypes would feature hybrid and new technologies, including alternative fuel capabilities. The prototypes would represent a variety of vehicle sizes and drive configurations, in addition to advanced power trains and a range of hybrid technologies. On February 23, 2021, USPS announced that Oshkosh Defense was awarded the contract for design and manufacture of

594-541: A long competition, the USPS announced it had awarded a $ 6 billion contract to Oshkosh Defense to produce the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle , which will replace the LLV. In February 2023, the USPS announced the purchase of 9,250 each of stock Ford E-Transit vans and Stellantis gasoline-powered vans. As of May 2023 , the first custom NGDVs were scheduled to enter service in June 2024, nine months after

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648-401: A nominal range of 30 km (19 mi). The traction motor was an AC induction type, with a peak output of 50 kW (67 hp; 68 PS) and continuous rated output of 20 kW (27 hp; 27 PS). Testing showed the typical consumption on a postal driving cycle was 19.74 kWh/100 km (106.1 mpg‑e) at an ambient temperature of −20 °C (−4 °F), giving

702-421: A peak output of 160 hp (162 PS; 119 kW) at 4,000 RPM and 225 lb⋅ft (305 N⋅m; 31 kg⋅m) at 2,750 RPM. It rides on 15 in (380 mm) steel wheels and LT195/75R15C tires. Anecdotal evidence shows that some FFVs have four-wheel-drive. The FFV has an average observed fuel consumption of 6.9 mpg ‑US (34.1 L/100 km; 8.3 mpg ‑imp ), worse than

756-523: A pilot program, adding a battery electric drivetrain developed by GM Hughes and U.S. Electricar . They used lead-acid battery chemistry. The resulting Electric Long Life Vehicles (ELLVs) were deployed to post offices in Harbor City, California (in Los Angeles); Merrifield, Virginia ; and Westminster, California . When GM canceled its electric vehicle program, the vehicles were taken out of service at

810-455: A range of 27.39 km (17.02 mi); these figures improved to 16.04 kWh/100 km (130.6 mpg‑e) consumption and 29.58 km (18.38 mi) range at 20 °C (68 °F). By comparison, the conventionally-powered LLV on the same driving cycle returned fuel consumption of 0.22 L/km (11 mpg ‑US ) at −20 °C (−4 °F) and 0.16 L/km (15 mpg ‑US ) at 20 °C (68 °F). This

864-725: A similar lightweight aluminum delivery body on a Volkswagen Pickup diesel chassis and also underwent testing by the USPS. These designs influenced Grumman's candidate body design for the LLV. Grumman won the competition and was awarded a $ 1.1 billion contract to produce 99,150 LLVs in April 1986; USPS also held an option for an additional 54,000 LLVs. The vehicles were assembled by the Allied Division of Grumman in Clinton Township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania . The first vehicle

918-427: Is 17 miles per US gallon (13.8 L/100 km; 20.4 mpg ‑imp ; 7.2 km/L) [16 / 18 mpg ‑US (14.7 / 13.1 L/100 km; 19.2 / 21.6 mpg ‑imp ; 6.8 / 7.7 km/L) on the city/highway cycles, respectively]. In actual use by the USPS, which includes extensive stop-and-go driving for residential delivery, average fuel economy

972-653: Is 60 mph (97 km/h). Testing at EVTC showed the ECRV met or exceeded its performance requirements, including an accelerated 20,000 mi (32,000 km) reliability test. Real-world testing at the Fountain Valley, California , post office during July and August demonstrated the average route covered 13–16 miles (21–26 km), consuming an average of 41% of the battery state of charge. After Ford announced they were also canceling their electric vehicle program in October 2002,

1026-417: Is about 8.2–10 mpg ‑US (28.7–23.5 L/100 km; 9.8–12.0 mpg ‑imp ; 3.5–4.3 km/L). Like other U.S. Postal Service vehicles before it, the Grumman LLV does not carry a license plate and instead uses a seven-digit U.S. Postal Service serial number, usually starting with 020, 021, 120, 125, 126, 220, 221, 330, 331, 430, 431, 720, 820, 821, 920, or 921. The first digit of

1080-408: Is approximately 2 ft (0.61 m) longer than an LLV and has a larger cargo volume. Among the new safety features Utilimaster has added a window on the left hand side of the truck for better visibility in these right-hand-drive trucks. The FFV was equipped with a 3:55:1 final drive limited-slip rear axle, powered by the 4.0L Cologne V6 through a 5-speed automatic transmission. The engine had

1134-449: Is easily capable of a long life. The required lifespan specified by the U.S. Postal Service was 24 years, but in 2009, this was extended to 30 years. The Grumman LLV can easily last over 200,000 miles on its original engine and transmission before needing an overhaul. The USPS acquired 21,000 Ford–Utilimaster FFVs in 2000 and 2001 to supplement the LLV fleet. The FFVs have a similar aluminum body and also are right-hand drive, but ride on

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1188-1026: Is headquartered in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania; the Defense division in Oshkosh, Wisconsin ; the Fire & Emergency division in Appleton, Wisconsin ; and the Commercial division in Dodge Center, Minnesota . Oshkosh products and services are sold in more than 150 countries around the globe. The company also maintains a global service network. Oshkosh Corp. manufactures, distributes, and services products under ten brands: Oshkosh Defense, JLG , Pierce , McNeilus , Jerr-Dan, Oshkosh Airport Products, Pratt Miller, Frontline Communications, London Machinery Inc., and IMT. Products include JLG and SkyTrak brand telehandlers , wheeled and tracked boom lifts , and other lifting equipment. In November 2022, Oshkosh announced it had entered into

1242-589: The Energy Policy Act of 1992 required that 75% of federal fleet acquisitions were alternative fuel vehicles in fiscal year 1999. The contract was awarded a month later in September 1998; the first batch of 12 prototypes was completed and delivered for inspection within six months, by March 1999, which required Ford to retool its St. Louis Assembly Plant and Utilimaster to design and build a new body assembly plant. The prototypes were tested between March and July, and

1296-419: The Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) to replace the LLV and FFV, delivering up to 165,000 vehicles over a ten-year period. Oshkosh Corporation Oshkosh Corporation , formerly Oshkosh Truck , is an American industrial company that designs and builds specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment. The corporation also owns Pierce Manufacturing ,

1350-458: The 2.5-liter inline-four TBI Iron Duke and, in later production, 2.2-liter inline-four SPFI LN2 ; the instrument cluster and front suspension are similar to those used in the Chevrolet S-10 pickup and S-10 Blazer sport utility vehicle. The LLV has a unique footprint. The front wheels (taken from the two-wheel-drive S-10 Blazer model) have narrower spacing than the rear wheels (using

1404-609: The 4-cylinder engines in the LLVs; in addition, E85 has less energy than gasoline, by volume , and it was estimated the USPS used 587,000 US gal (489,000 imp gal; 2,220,000 L) of E85 in fiscal year 2010 at a cost premium of US$ 135,700 (equivalent to $ 189,600 in 2023) compared to using gasoline vehicles. In Fiscal Year 2005, it was estimated that only 1,000 of the FFVs were using E85 regularly, consuming 582,000 US gal (485,000 imp gal; 2,200,000 L) with

1458-456: The 8.2 mpg ‑US (28.7 L/100 km; 9.8 mpg ‑imp ) of the LLVs and slightly better than the 6.3 mpg ‑US (37.3 L/100 km; 7.6 mpg ‑imp ) of the commercial off-the-shelf Mercedes Metris vans that have been used to supplement the fleet. At the time they were acquired, the only flexible fuel-capable engines were 6-cylinder types, which proved to be heavier and less fuel efficient than

1512-562: The Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) vehicle program announced on August 3, 2018, to replace and upgrade its fleet of delivery vehicles. In 2014, the USPS reviewed options for replacement. The Office of Inspector General found that the Postal Service's acquisition plan for replacements lacked details and while the USPS could continue deliveries until 2017, there were concerns over the aging vehicles. Canada Post also adopted

1566-523: The Grumman LLV, but around 2008, it began studying whether to refurbish, upgrade, or replace its fleet. On March 18, 2010, Canada Post and Ford Motor Company announced that Canada Post would purchase a fleet of Transit Connect vans . On January 20, 2015, the USPS released solicitation RFI-NGDV for the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle. Potential bidders had until March 5, 2015, to submit comments and pre-qualification responses. The USPS

1620-533: The Oshkosh Common Council approved a proposal to sell part of the century -old Lake Shore Golf Course along the shore of Lake Butte des Morts to Oshkosh Corp. for its new headquarters. On November 22, 2017, the Oshkosh Corporation announced it would build the new headquarters on the golf course. The city plans to redevelop the rest of the golf course into a new public space. On February 7, 2018,

1674-451: The Pierce, Oshkosh, Frontline and Jerr-Dan brands, and include pumpers , aerials , tankers , wildland fire appliances , Striker ARFF vehicles , airport crash trucks , snow plows , and various configurations of wreckers and recovery trucks, ambulances /medical vehicles, and police / homeland security vehicles. Oshkosh produces for the commercial/civil market a variety of products under

Ford-Utilimaster FFV - Misplaced Pages Continue

1728-607: The U.S. Army announced that the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles A2 (FMTV A2) contract had been awarded to Oshkosh Defense. Oshkosh was already building the FMTV A1P2, having been awarded this contract in August 2009. As of August 2021, Oshkosh has built around 40,000 FMTVs for the US military and others. In February 2020, Oshkosh Corporation was named one of the 2020 World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere . In February 2021, Oshkosh Defense

1782-577: The Wisconsin Duplex Auto Company, the company was created to build a severe-duty four-wheel-drive truck . After the first prototype was built, the company began to develop rapidly. This first four-wheel-drive truck, known today as "Old Betsy", is still owned by Oshkosh Corporation and housed in the new Global Headquarters building in Oshkosh. The vehicle still runs and is used frequently in demonstrations and parades. The first mass-produced truck

1836-487: The battery manufacturer (East Penn Manufacturing Company) offered to sell replacement traction batteries for the ECRVs to be held in cold storage as experience showed the batteries would need to be replaced after two years of service. The USPS instead traded the ECRVs in August 2003 back to Ford in exchange for Windstar minivans. A second round of testing five converted all-electric LLVs began in 2011. Each second-generation eLLV

1890-557: The company designed and built the U-30 tow tractor , 45 of which were built for the U.S. Air Force to tow the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft. In 1976, the company won a U.S. Army contract to supply 744 M911 heavy equipment transporters , the first in a long line of U.S. Army contracts that now sees Oshkosh Defense as the sole supplier of medium and heavy tactical trucks to the U.S. Army and Marines. On August 25, 2015, Oshkosh

1944-591: The end of 2000. At about the same time, Transport Canada commissioned Solectria Corporation in November 1998 to convert two LLVs to battery-electric; they were delivered to Canada Post in February 1999. The performance report, comparing the converted LLV to a conventional LLV, was published in February 2000. The Solectria/Grumman LLV was equipped with a 12-kilowatt-hour (43 MJ) lead-acid traction battery and 5-kilowatt (17,000 BTU/h) diesel-fired heater, giving it

1998-442: The entire fleet. By 2021, it was estimated that each LLV required maintenance costing more than $ 5,000 per year; the all-aluminum body had proven to be robust and corrosion-resistant, but the chassis frame and powertrain components had required reverse-engineering as the original designs were out of production. The LLVs also suffer from several design deficiencies, including inadequate cabin climate controls (no air conditioning and

2052-411: The feedback provided was incorporated into the final inspection vehicle, delivered on August 30, less than a year after the initial contract award. The first production FFV was completed as the "USPS Carrier Route Vehicle" on December 17, 1999. The initial contract for 10,000 FFVs was completed in September 2000. The per-unit cost of the FFV in 2001 was US$ 20,537 (equivalent to $ 35,300 in 2023), and

2106-471: The final total order was for 21,275 FFVs, delivered in 2000 and 2001. In 2010, the USPS owned 21,137 FFVs, compared to 141,319 LLVs. The right-hand drive Explorer chassis were built at Ford's St. Louis Assembly Plant , including an aluminum dash panel; the completed chassis were shipped to Utilimaster's Wakarusa, Indiana plant for final assembly. The ladder frame chassis had a C-shaped cross section and six cross-members. At 17 ft (5.2 m) long, it

2160-473: The modified eLLVs (from ZAP) remained in service. Because the United States Postal Service owns more than 100,000 Grumman LLVs, of which most have reached the end of their lifespan, the USPS has been preparing to replace the LLVs. In fiscal year 2009, the USPS spent $ 524 million to repair and retrofit its fleet of Grumman LLVs, and estimated that it would cost $ 4.2 billion to replace

2214-528: The original October 2023 target date. In the United States , the Grumman LLV is the most common vehicle used by letter carriers for curbside and residential delivery of mail , replacing the previous standard letter-carrier vehicle, the Jeep DJ-5 . Curbside delivery from a driver seated in a vehicle to a curbside mailbox is sometimes termed "mounted delivery", in contrast to walking delivery. The Grumman LLV

Ford-Utilimaster FFV - Misplaced Pages Continue

2268-419: The rear axle from the four-wheel-drive S-10 Blazer model). The front of the vehicle also has low ground clearance. While this has advantages, there are some trade offs. The vehicle was tested successfully in warmer climates, but when used in places with substantial snowfall, they became difficult to control and were poorly adapted to those conditions. The Grumman LLV's estimated average combined EPA fuel economy

2322-461: The seat. Other notable features are an exceptionally tight turning radius and a low-geared, three-speed transmission for hauling heavy cargo. The LLV has a 1,000-pound (450 kg) cargo capacity, double what the Jeep DJ-5 could hold. The body and final assembly is by Grumman, and the chassis is made by General Motors , based on the 1982 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer , powered by GM engines including

2376-512: The serial number represents the last digit of the year in which it was made, ranging from 7 (1987) to 4 (1994). The USPS does not permit reselling LLVs, so when they are retired, they are scrapped for parts; however, at least one was sold by the State of Georgia at auction in 2013. Grumman also planned to market a commercial variant of the LLV with right-hand drive as the CLLV through Chevrolet. The CLLV

2430-455: The typical left-hand-drive (LHD) position of vehicles in North America. It also features a large metal tray, which is able to hold three trays of letter mail, mounted where a passenger seat would normally be. This arrangement positions the driver on the side of the vehicle closest to the curb , enabling the carrier to easily grab sorted mail and place it into mailboxes without having to leave

2484-716: Was awarded the U.S. Postal Service 's Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) mail truck contract for between 50,000 and 165,000 units over ten years, with production start targeted for 2023. The fleet will include low-emissions internal combustion engine vehicles as well as battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and could be worth over $ 6 billion. Oshkosh Corporation is headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It has manufacturing operations in eight U.S. states and in Australia, Canada, China, France and Romania, and through investments in joint ventures in Mexico and Brazil. The Access Equipment division

2538-521: Was awarded the U.S. military's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle contract. The initial JLTV award is valued at $ 6.75 billion for up to 16,901 vehicles. The procurement objective for JLTV stands at 49,099 Army and 9,091 Marines, with the Navy and Air Force also having smaller requirements. The estimated program cost is $ 47.6 billion. JLTV will partially replace the AM General Humvee . On November 7, 2017,

2592-413: Was completed in April 1986. At peak production, 95 LLVs were completed each day, at a rate of approximately one every five minutes. Grumman invested $ 28 million into the factory, doubling its size to 213,000 sq ft (19,800 m ) and increasing the workforce from 250 to 600. The USPS purchased more than 100,000 of these vehicles, the last one in 1994. As its name suggests, the Grumman LLV

2646-482: Was converted by a different group, funded by the USPS through a $ 50,000 grant to each electromodder , and tested in Washington, D.C. In the nine-month period from March to December 2011, the five vehicles had taken an aggregated 9,181 trips and traveled a total distance of 3,965 miles (6,381 km), consuming an average of 0.645 kW⋅h/mi (52.3 mpg‑e) of AC power (from the wall). By March 2014, only one of

2700-497: Was essentially the same as the LLV, with the same chassis, built by GM at Moraine Assembly using S-10 components, driven by the 2.5L Iron Duke through a 3-speed automatic transmission and a 7- 5 ⁄ 8 " positraction rear differential with 3.42:1 final drive ratio. The CLLV was rated to carry a payload of 1,400 lb (640 kg), including the driver, and could accommodate up to 121 cu ft (3,400 L) of cargo. Ten LLVs were converted in 1995, 1997, and 1999 for

2754-712: Was followed by a larger fleet test, consisting of 500 Electric Carrier Route Vehicles (ECRV) from 2000 to 2003. The ECRV was equipped with a body similar to the LLV, built by Grumman/Allied on a RHD Ford Ranger EV chassis. Most were tested in California, with the remainder tested in Washington, D.C. , and White Plains, New York . Southern California Edison tested six prototype ECRVs at the Electric Vehicle Technical Center (EVTC) in Pomona, California . The ECRV uses

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2808-569: Was the 2-ton Model A, with seven produced in 1918. The 3.5-ton Model B and 5-ton Model F followed. The Model TR, introduced in 1933, was a diversification for the company and was the first rubber tired earthmover ever built. The model 50-50, introduced in 1955, was the first truck created specifically for the hauling of concrete. The first aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) W2206 With rollover snow plows or snow blowers were delivered to all branches of US military for airfield snow removal. Oshkosh has also produced aircraft tow tractors, and in 1968

2862-593: Was the first vehicle specifically designed for the United States Postal Service (USPS); the USPS provided a specification and three teams created prototypes that were tested in Laredo, Texas , in 1985: Grumman in partnership with General Motors , Poveco (a joint venture of Fruehauf and General Automotive Corporation ), and American Motors Corporation . The main design points of the vehicle in contract competition were serviceability, handling in confined areas, and overall economical operation. Prototypes were each subjected to

2916-572: Was to then select companies to receive the RFP for prototype development. On February 13, 2015, it was announced that General Motors was actively pursuing this new contract, which would have them provide the USPS with 180,000 new vehicles at a cost of at least $ 5 billion. On September 22, 2016, the United States Postal Service awarded the NGDV Prototype Contract to six selected suppliers: AM General , Karsan , Mahindra , Oshkosh , Utilimaster , and

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