Iowa City Today

Chad Ingels, an Iowa state representative, expressed concerns regarding the Biden administration's initial plan for the United States Postal Service (USPS) electric vehicle contract. He described it as ineffective and costly, referencing recent program coverage and Senator Joni Ernst's efforts to cancel it.

"I don't believe the initial plan put in place by the Biden administration reflects the best use of taxpayers' dollars," said Ingels. "There would definitely be limited charging stations for electric postal vehicles in rural Iowa. An alternative that would benefit Iowa farmers would be the purchasing of flex fuel vehicles that run on higher mixes of ethanol. I support Senator Ernst's move to cancel this expensive and slow‑to‑be implemented program."

According to the USPS website, a $9.6 billion initiative was launched with support from $3 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act. The goal is to procure 66,000 electric mail delivery vehicles and associated charging infrastructure by 2028. The plan also includes alternative vehicle contracts, such as gas-powered and commercial off-the-shelf models, to address urgent needs. However, locations for infrastructure deployment have not been determined, indicating uncertainty in implementation.

The Institute for Energy Research reported that by late 2024, Oshkosh, a defense contractor involved in the project, had delivered only about 93 electric delivery trucks—far fewer than the initially expected 3,000 vehicles within that timeframe. This shortfall highlights significant production delays in the USPS electric vehicle program. Additionally, challenges in building electric vehicle charging infrastructure contribute to questions about the project's effectiveness.

Despite potential long-term operational cost savings, the upfront expenses of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are notably higher than those of traditional gasoline vehicles. The USPS Total Cost of Ownership model suggests that savings depend heavily on route length and conditions. This makes rural deployment financially and logistically challenging due to sparse infrastructure.

As of June 2025, Senate Republicans have sought to amend parts of the USPS electric vehicle program by proposing to scrap $1.5 billion in existing investments related to electric vehicles and infrastructure. If enacted, this would force the sale of thousands of electric vehicles and decommission installed infrastructure, resulting in significant financial losses and jeopardizing service modernization efforts, according to Reuters.

Ingels is currently serving his second term in the Iowa House of Representatives for Fayette County as a Republican. A farmer by profession, he founded ClearWater Ag Strategies LLC and previously worked as a watershed specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.