USPS testing Rivian electric delivery vans

United States Postal Service (USPS) has been testing Rivian electric delivery vans (EDV) since March this year according to an internal letter.

Earlier this year, the Postal Service revealed a plan to test the Rivian Delivery 500 vehicle. The purpose of this test is to check the use case of this delivery vehicle on carrier routes currently used by RAM ProMaster vans.

The test was conducted from March 25 to April 26 at the Vienna Post Office at 200 Lawyers Rod, Vienna, VA 22180. During the test period, Rivian EDV was operated by USPS employees similar to ProMaster vans. The driver for the Rivian Delivery 500 vehicle also received training before operating the vehicle.

This letter was received on March 4 and shared recently on social media site X. Aside from the render patched with the letter, users online shared images of the delivery van without USPS branding.

USPS Electric Delivery Van (Image Source – X)

USPC has not announced the status of this Rivian delivery van testing phase. A few weeks ago, DHL also spotted testing the Rivian EDVs but it has been branded with a DHL theme. The Delivery 500 EDV offers 161 miles estimated range of, 9,350 lbs gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). It equips a four-wheel drive train and a 2,734-pound payload capacity.

EDV 500 expands 248.5-inch in length, 114.7-inch height, 157.5-inch wheelbase and 96.4-inch width. It has a 487 cu ft cargo volume and 6.9-inch ground clearance. The van features advanced LED headlight technology for optimal visibility. The rear has half-safety lighting to maximize visibility for other drivers.

The van comes with an automated bulkhead door engineered for ease of access. There’s also a curbside sliding door with increased safety. It also features ultrasonic sensors that support Driver+ technology for increased safety.