The U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday it has placed its first order of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles with Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Defense, which plans to start production next year in Spartanburg County.
The $2.98 billion order calls for 50,000 postal vehicles, with at least 10,019 being zero-emission battery electric vehicles, according to a USPS press release.
Oshkosh Defense won the contract in February 2021 to produce its Next Generation Delivery Vehicle fleet of up to 165,000 vehicles.
Four months later in June, the company selected Spartanburg for the project, saying it plans to invest $155 million and create more than 1,000 jobs at the former Rite-Aid distribution center at Flatwood Industrial Park.
Production is scheduled to start in summer 2023, although site preparation is already underway.