Postal Service stands by plan for internal combustion engines

The U.S. Postal Service is pressing forward with its plan for a new fleet dominated by internal combustion engines despite objections from environmental groups, the Biden administration and Capitol Hill Democrats pushing it to aggressively embrace electric vehicles.

The mail service announced Wednesday that it was issuing a final record of decision to purchase and deploy 50,000 to 165,000 delivery vehicles. At least 10 percent of those will be electric.

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy defended the service’s plan as ambitious given both a lack of funding and a pressing need to replace an aging fleet that largely lacks air conditioning and modern safety features.