• cygnus@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    2 months ago

    It seems odd to turn to Oshkosh to build these. I wonder how they compare to Amazon’s Rivian vans.

    • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      2 months ago

      I mean… the previous ones were by Northop Grumman?

      Is it really a shock that the US turns to defense companies for this kind of thing?

      • reddig33@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        2 months ago

        There was a time when these were built by Jeep/AMC motors. People used to buy these used at auction and drive them after they were retired. And electric delivery vehicles are already built by companies like Rivian and Ford, though I don’t know what the cost difference is.

        I would think building a “bespoke” vehicle for USPS would result in more expensive service parts. But I don’t know what kind of service contracts are included with these.

      • cygnus@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 months ago

        True, but I don’t think it’s had any link to the aerospace company for a very long time, right?

    • Badabinski@kbin.earth
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      2 months ago

      I’d guess there’s a bit of MIC lobbying and chicanery afoot here. Like, it does seem like Oshkosh makes some good vehicles, but there’s always pressure to support defense companies when government bidding happens.

      Please note that this is completely baseless speculation on my part. I’m an idiot on the internet that knows fuck-all about shit.

    • Brkdncr@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 months ago

      Rivian doesn’t have the production capacity or the knowledge of navigating federal-level bureaucracy. I’d also rather it go to Rivian but I understand why they didn’t. I doubt that even Tesla could do it.

      • cygnus@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        2 months ago

        Is the rollout happening that quickly? How many are they building in a year? I also can’t imagine a company used to building MRAPs can churn vehicles out faster than a conventional automaker…