THE GRUMMAN OLSON KUBVAN
The Grumman Olson Kubvan is a sophisticated, lightweight, utility vehicle, featuring an all-aluminum, unitized body. Kubvan utilizes the highly reliable Volkswagen Diesel Rabbit powertrain, as well as Volkswagen suspension, steering and brakes. Kubvan is an advanced product of innovative engineering, and has been designed for maximum performance, efficiency and safety
Two Models were built over a two to three
year period, a model 70 and a model 100
SEE SPECIFICATIONS
Originally 500 units were built, using the Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel powertrain, a number of were built as electrics and called the KURBWATT. I have found some vehicles with ford tempo gas engines, I do not think these are original. This vehicle has an ALL aluminum body and frame unlike many of the Grumman family of vehicles which are built on other manufacturers frames. 50 of theKubvans were sold to Canada Post and located through out the provinces primarily in the west. A number of these units were retired from service in Canada around 1995.
Kurbwatt, same vehicle as the model 70 Kubvan
Beginning in 1980 10 Kurbwatts were built for the United States Postal Service , these postal delivery vans had a single-seat (for the driver) and had a curb weight of 2,700 pounds. They had a rated pay load of 500 pounds within a 69 cubic foot cargo space. The van was 71 inches high, 144 inches long and had a wheelbase of 99 inches. The body was made primarily of aluminum. Using 14 6-volt lead-acid batteries, the vehicle had a maximum speed of 52 mph and a range of 40 miles on a charge (at 30 mph). Designed for start-and-stop operation, it was capable of 350 start/run/stop cycles (typical of a postal delivery operation) on a charge. In 1983 another 31 units were built.
The KURBWATT then the KUBVAN were the predecessors of what is now known as the LLV. (Long Life Vehicle) Grumman built 150,000 of these for the U.S. and Canadian Postal Service from 19856 to 1995.