The United States Postal Service (USPS) awarded Bright Automotive with a contract to develop and test an electric postal delivery vehicle. Under the contract, Bright Automotive's eSolutions team will retrofit a standard USPS Long Life Vehicle (LLV) with its integrated electric drive train, and place the vehicle in service for one year in the Washington, D.C. area.

"We are thrilled to be working with the USPS to demonstrate how systems thinking can achieve economic solutions that reduce the cost to own and operate the USPS fleet," said John E. Waters, CEO and President of Bright Automotive.

The Bright eSolutions retrofit LLV is fully electric, does not use gasoline, and is capable of covering a high percentage of existing postal service routes.

After delivery to the USPS in July 2010, the vehicle will go into service in the metro Washington, D.C. area for at least one year.

"The adaptation of the electric drive system from our production vehicle uniquely distinguishes Bright Automotive's LLV conversion in terms of technology, durability and cost. In addition, our analysis and experience in vehicle electrification, vehicle ownership and financing, fleet maintenance, service, and infrastructure development, has shown that an electrified fleet will save the USPS millions of dollars annually, eliminate tons of emissions, and reduce dependence on oil," Waters added.

The USPS currently operates 142,000 LLVs, which average less than 20 miles of driving per day and have an average fuel economy of only 10 mpg.