ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN AMERICA.
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Where They Can Profitably be Employed—Future Prospects—Numbers in Use—Their Average Life—Recent Improvements.
SOME very interesting notes on, and experiences with, electric commercial vehicles were given in a paper read recently in Chicago before the 44th Convention of the National Electric Light Association, and, for the sake of clearness, we have summarized these as follow:—It was pointed out that in the electric vehicle the central charging station has an opportunity for the development of an exceedingly profitable business, and, apart from this, as a public, servant, it has a serious responsibility resting upon it to tell the story of the electric as it relates to economical transportation, safety, and cleanliness of the streets, relief of traffic congestion, and the lowering of living costa through the elimination of unnecessary handling and transferring.
The Speed of the Electric in New York Traffic.
In the congested parts of New York the electrical vehicle moves through the traffic more easily and quickly than any other type, and there is probably no city in the U.S.A. in which so large a proportion, of the business of transportation can be done by the electric, with great advantage to the user, the public, and to the electricity supply companies. Large concerns, such as express companies, departmentalsiores, etc., probably require to use petrol vehicles as well as electric vehicles for local services. Although some may find the petrol vehicle alone fitted for their purpose, others can accomplish everything with the electric.
Although not usually employed for long-distance work, it should not be inferred that the electric is incapable of such work at a fairly high normal speed. In October, 1920, a 5 ton electric truck built for the New York Edison Co. travelled from Philadelphia to New York—a distance of 96.3 milese—in eight hours of running time, this 'including the crossing of the North River ferry. The actual time taken from start to finish was 15i hours, of which the time occupied in boosting was 7 hours 5 minutes. The current used per mile averaged 8.04 ampere-hours, and the average speed was 12.04 m.p.h. Boosting was carried out at two places en route.
As a result of this trip, it is quite possible that an inter-city service will be established, and the time now lost through battery boosting can be overcome
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by the establishment of battery charging stations. This will reduce the total time between the cities in question to nine hours.
Not so Speedy on Open Roads.
Some people object to the electric vehicle on the ground that it is not so speedy as the petrol vehicle either on the level or when hill-climbing. The answer to the first part of the objection is that the electric vehicle will travel _as fast as any vehicle should go over the highways of a congested community. Further, men of wide experience in transportation have reported that accidents occurring with the electric are less frequent than with ;petrol vehicles, due partly to the maintenance of positive control of the vehicle itself.
The slow climbing of hills has the advantage that it does not subject the moving parts of the vehicle toexcessive stresses.. The electric, vehicle gives automatic control over reckless drivers who are tempted to take the steepest hills at high speed.
The life of this type of vehicle is considerable. On January 1st, 1921, of the 4,362 electrics used in New York City, 5 had been in operation23 years; 2 20 years, 18 18 years, 8 17 years, 73 15 years, 115 12 years, 759 10 years, 600 8 years, 868 6 years, and 451 5 years ; the remaining vehicles in use were all aged five years and under.
The Number of Electrics in New York.
There are, in all, 9,157 electric commercial vehicles in service in the country, of which 5,000,. or about 52 per cent., are in the .Metropolitati district. During 1920, 536 additional vehicles were put into Service.
In April, 1920, Congress created a Commission to investigate the handling of postal matter. This Commission reported, in February, 1921, that the use of electric vehicles in the motor vehicle service of New York would save annually over 200,000 dollars.
The paper concluded by pointing. out that the electric vehicle is not the electric vehicle of 10 or 20 years ago. In every feature of construction and equipment, from battery to motor, including steering gear and frame, there have been many decided provements.