OPINIONS and QUERIES
Page 24
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• WHY NOT MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES?
Twar has taught us many lessons, and yet seems to me that one of the developments in the motor industry has not been fully utilized, as I, for one, feel that petrol and oil engines for road vehicles will be
• replaced by other means for prorlulsion before long. It is a pity that our Government did not consider the expansion of the electric vehicle more seriously at the beginning of the war. The electric offers the most outstanding advantages over the petrol and oil engine for the following reasons:— (1) It does not require liquid fuel for propulsion.
(2) It needs very little attention mechanically.
(3) It is simple to operate.
(4) It produces no fumes nor smoke.
(5) It has no water system to freeze in winter.
(6) It is silent in operation.
(7) Starting presents no difficulties, whatever the weather.
(8) It can be recharged easily from any source of electric supply, (9) It is more economical to run.
Further to point (1), if electric vehicles were widely used one of the greatest aduarita_ g6SAo our "Government would be the necessary decrease the importation of petrol, thus furthering our 'efforts of self-support, one of the most desirable conditions for an island in the case of war, strikes or other interruptions in the normal source of supply.
To point (2) I would add that it is already well known that the simplified electric -motor with its batteries requires far less servicing than the I.C. engine.
' The simplicity of operation is remarkahle;, the whole business of starting up, changing gears, etc., is obviated.
was recently very 'impressed in observing an electric delivery van moving from house to house with its driver walking alongside. Instead of having to jump in and out of the driving seat every few minutes, it appeared to be quite safe to operate the vehicle from outside for such short distances, and in many respects, therefore, it is very labour saving.
From a health point of view, I cannot sufficiently stress the importance of point -(4). The percentage of drivers suffering from gastric complaints found to be • caused *by carbon-monoxide fumes is very great, and transport and public-utility operators are well aware of this danger. Whatever perfection petrol or oil engines may attain, there is little hope that fumes can be entirely eliminated. , Points' (5) and (6) need littlecomment, except to mention the saving of the " headaches " we must all have experienced with frozen radiators and pipes at one time or another, *whilst further headaches will be saved by the silent operation of electric cars. Talking of " headaches," point (7) speaks for itself, Have we not all spoken unkindly to the starting handle?
The recharging of the batteries of electric vehicles, whether for private or business use, could be easily arranged with the co-operation of the electric supply companies. The provision of special meters and.charging units could be made On the hire system.
Apart from this we 'have. Already in this country a rli0st‘. unique. and wid4pread Organ i zaticin of motor and garage .ageritS, which :Could be rallied to join a general scheme of supply, service and exchange of power units. Main central supply' depots could be set up in all towns, from which smaller garage agents could draw service or replacement units at short notice. It would be advisable for manufacturers to agree that service units or replacements should be obtained only through the motor and garage establishments. it_ would also be necessary to standardize the size of battery for all vehicles, increasing the capacity by the number of batteries. A flat service charge for replacement batteries should be maintained.
I do not think we need-be unduly conterned Vegarding the large-Size battery needed or the limitation of speed. Science has made very 'great progress in recent years, and power can be stored much More compactly than hitherto possible. In fact, if more support were forthcoming for our research, I feel convinced that far greater achievements could be attained.
Finance companies, Whetherprivately or Government controlled, as well as.the manufacturers, should also be interested in the provisien of a rental system for these vehicles. This could be spread over a period of, say, 12 to 24 months, after which the vehicles could be returned to the manufacturers for exchange.
R. HINDS, Managing Director.
. (For the Notek Electric Co., Ltd.) Bromley, Kent.
STREET NAMES MUST. EASILY BE SEEN
I N my rapacity as a transport manager it has often come to my notice that hours are lost daily in all parts of the country by drivers and pedestrians alike, in. daylight as well as darkness, through the haphazard way street names are placed in thoroughfares by public authorities. Some are at ground level, others anything up to 20 ft. high, and often on only one side of the street. Whilst the majority may be at both extreme ends of certain roads, some become lost considerable dista.nces from the end of the road.
Could not something be done by the municipal authorities generally to standardize the position and height of all street names? ' If an ideal could be .aimed" at, what a saving of time if signs were placed at entrances to all thoroughfares on both sides, say 3 ft. high. They could be mounted on posts if no suitable buildings were available. Why not use "cat's eyes," which could be picked out quickly byhead lamps or torch? J. H. CRANNY. Christchurch.
MORE EXAMPLES OF LONG SERVICE
I WAS interested to read in a recent issue of "The I Commercial Motor" about the number' of people, employed by various companies, who had given long service, and I thought you might be interested to learn that in our group of companies since 1934, our centenary year, we have presented 86 watches to those of our employees who have completed 25'years' service.
Many of them have been with us between 25 and 50 years, and in the centenary-year presentation there were three with over 50 years' service. These presentations are made at our December board meeting each year, and there are still 60 of the recipients actually working in our employnow, whilst a further seven are in receipt of • pensions4rom the company. In 'this number is included
one wolitan employee. LEWIS D: LEVY, Director: (For George Cohen Sons and-Co:, Ltd.) London, W.6.