G. David Felt

Totally agree and this beats hands down the look of the Tesla Y IMHO.

Have to disagree with you as the Oshkosh looks old, cheap and does not reflect where the USPS needs to go with efficiency and future. UPS is far better even as an ugly pod over the Oshkosh. I have to also wonder due to the USPS Head being a Lackey from POTUS45 and Oshkosh being a Potus45 supporter how much under the table money exchanged hands to get this contract for the Billions and then as you state, 2 years before the final actual truck comes out. If this is not the actual truck which is what is implied and they showed off an ICE, no hybrid or EV version compared to the others, how did they win this contract then if not for paying off certain individuals. I think the other vendors had a far better design and all included the ability for the postal worker to stand up in the back and carry larger packages. They also proved they had Hybrid / EV working concepts. We do not need the ICE versions, Hybrid for very rural long distance and EV for the cities and suburbans is what should be built. Reminds me of a Mad Max world of Postal delivery.

Have to say that the news covering this new Ugly Duckling is too funny as are the posts on Twitter. The new USPS trucks are delivering strong reactions — here are some first-class responses (msn.com)

Course NONE of that would have been required if not for the Profits over Human life and greedy electrical ERCOT of Texas that went cheap and did not pay to have proper winterizing of both the 24.8% of power production by Wind Turbines but more importantly the 51% produced by Natural gas as the pipes froze blocking the gas flow. Coal 13.4%, Nuclear 4.9%, Solar 3.8% and Biomass fired units 1.9% still worked. Texas energy: How much power comes from wind turbines, natural gas? (statesman.com) Freeze off is the official problem due to no Winterization of pipes and so ice formed blocking natural gas delivery to power generation plants as well as to businesses and homes that did not have winterized piping or proper depth of pipe being buried. Texas’ natural gas production just froze under pressure (msn.com) Amazing until the Governor banned exports, making money over power online to protect human life was more important. Texas Governor Bans Natural Gas Exports | OilPrice.com

Here is Ford official announcement of going pure EV for the European market starting with their Cologne Germany plant. Ford Europe Goes All-In On EVs On Road To Sustainable Profitability; Cologne Site Begins $1 Billion Transformation | Ford Media Center

Yes, a big hit here too, but still see the occasional one on the flatbed or along the side of the road. Thinking on this, it might also be more common for me to see them on Flatbeds since the repair shop for this area is just down the road off of 220th and I5 in Mountlake Terrace, WA.

@ykX @oldshurst442 I am thinking being the west coast and especially the Seattle area, you see a ton of Tesla every day and as such, the more you see the more you see the occasional break down of one along the side of the road. I would agree with ya both that it is probably no more than ICE auto's. It is weird that Tesla does not take this more serious with other OEMS coming into the market with EVs. Ford and Hyundai as well as gm and especially Rivian is going to put a big squeeze on Tesla sales as people leave for other options.

The more I look at this, the more I like it. Sporty Looking, clean and sleek. Way better IMHO than the look of the Tesla Y. I like the open space that is shown in the pictures. Should be roomy for most people. While very cool with the front seats reclining and the calf supports, I just do not see that being needed in an Auto. Over all, not bad, I really like the row of buttons under the touch screen indicating that there are some basic functions that are just a touch button push. @William Maley Any mention of charging for colors like Tesla and Rivian is doing as well as Ford? I just hate this color charge the OEMs are moving to with only 1 or 2 colors included in the price.

BMW CEO says the double digit growth of Tesla is at an end and cannot continue as mainstream auto companies enter the EV market. BMW CEO Expresses Doubts For Tesla's Further Growth Rate (insideevs.com) Lucid Investor Deck has comparisons to everyone else and it is rather interesting. Full deck with explanations here: lucid-investor-deck-february-2021.pdf (lucidmotors.com) Comparison deck:

Seems according to a Post on LinkedIn by the CEO of VW, that moving Forward Ford will build their EVs on the VW MEB electric platform and will start by converting the Cologne Germany Ford sit to pure EV production using the Meb Platform. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/herbertdiess_ford-motor-company-will-make-cologne-a-successful-activity-6768486497113923585-RK36 Herbert Diess • FollowingChairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group5d • Ford Motor Company will make Cologne a successful E-location! Within our alliance, Volkswagen AG will contribute with all its power, Jim Farley. The automotive plants in Zwickau, Dresden, Cologne, Emden, Hanover, Wolfsburg will manufacture their e-cars on the basis of the MEB electric modular system. In direct competition with Tesla in Grünheide. Thomas Schmall supplies the following components: Battery, e-motor, axles, steering, transmission, brakes - more than any other car from a single source. From Braunschweig, Salzgitter, Kassel, Poznan. The goal: best quality and maximum competitiveness based on the highest scales. Our plants outside Germany in Anting and Foshan (China), Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic) and Chattanooga (USA) also already use MEB technology. Further locations will follow.

I would say all music has wretched, lyrically songs. I honestly have not found a single band that has all great music. Just cherry pick what i like.

From looking at their own reporting both pension funds and guaranteed pay increases and benefit increases. It will take an act of congress to really fix things here including changing old static ways to more 21st century modern ways including removal of all old physical walking mail delivery and moving to modern grouped mail box areas. GAO-19-157SP, HIGH-RISK SERIES: Substantial Efforts Needed to Achieve Greater Progress on High-Risk Areas U.S. GAO - High Risk: USPS Financial Viability Interesting outside group is pushing for a modern change at the USPS. CAGW Leads Coalition Letter to USPS Board of Governors | Council For Citizens Against Government Waste (ccagw.org) USPS Ends Another Fiscal Year With Billion-Dollar Losses | Citizens Against Government Waste (cagw.org) To quote from this 2019: Even more concerning is that large portion of the USPS’ losses are outside of the management’s control. This includes a $3.5 billion increase in workers’ compensation costs, $994 million in contractual pay increases, and $320 million in retirement benefits expenses “due largely to the higher amortization costs of unfunded benefits.” However, even if the uncontrollable losses are removed from the net loss calculation, the USPS still ran a $3.4 billion deficit for FY 2019. “We continued to make progress in the fiscal year in containing expenses that are under management’s control,” said USPS Chief Financial Officer Joseph Corbett. “However, actions within the control of the Postal Service are not enough to return the Postal Service to financial health.”

Very cool story about 40 autos found in a Tennesee river. Divers Find Over 40 Cars Underwater In Tennessee (msn.com) The group who runs a you tube channel about finding stuff was on the case of finding a missing guy who disappeared in June 2020. Sadly they did find him in his auto.

While I can understand the convenience for the household, it is not efficient in this modern world and today, with running billion dollar deficit's, the USPS needs to get more efficient. This would take a burden off the tax payers. Plus why not have more exercise for the home owners?

32F everything covered in heavy ICE, black ice roads and glad I am working from home. 3ft of snow on the passes over night, some very cool images of the heavy snowfall. https://www.instagram.com/p/CLrauhLs0aG/

Fatboy Slim, Love Christopher Walker in this music video. This is a great listen while working.

My neighborhood has two types, the walk up to each door to put the mail in the door slot and the grouping of mail boxes where the mail man can drive up and reach out the window to put the mail in the box. I do wish the USPS would change all the old neighborhoods to grouped mailboxes for better efficiency. The days of walking to each home is way too inefficient and the home owners can walk to the post box for their group of mailboxes. This would save a ton of time

More Daft Punk Fun Music! Tron: Legacy where Daft Punk had their Cameo and did the blending of Music! What the European RAVE concerts where like when you went to one with Daft Punk. Not everything I liked that Daft Punk did, but they did have some fun music and videos. The Weekend Around the World, Last one as work calls.

If you ever watched Tron: Legacy movie, then you have heard their music as they are featured in the movie and in a few scenes. TRON: Legacy (2010) - IMDb

This is what I love also for my next SUV to replace the Escalade. I really love the color and interior. Wife will either get the Hummer pickup or R1T. Not sure on the color though as that is her choice.

Especially so in the hands of slow ICE drivers!

Belched

Hopefully the Mach E, I have seen way too many Tesla's broken down around town and the fit n finish is an eye sore when you can see panel alignment gaps on the freeway. Way over rated auto.

Perfect for the Joke Thread!

Interesting, forecasts for the US is a doubling of EV sales in 2021 namely due to other OEMs coming out finally with EVs. Electric cars will double their market share in 2021, forecast says - Roadshow (cnet.com)