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by Les Oldridge, TEng (CEO. MIMI, AMIFITE
Electrically propelled vehicles
ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED vehicles form only a very small part of the present freight transport scene but, aided by the ever increasing pressures from the environmental lobby, could increase in number in the future. Although one cannot envisage electric propulsion being used for the heavier goods vehicle it would seem possible for it to power passenger vehicles in town centres from which other traffic is banned.
Section 38 of the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 states: "A mechanically propelled vehicle shall not be treated as an electrically propelled vehicle for the purposes of this Act unless the electrical motive power is derived either from a source external to the vehicle or from any electrical storage battery which is not connected to any source, of power when the vehicle is in motion."
The ordinary delivery vehicle driven by an electric motor that derives its power from a rechargeable storage battery obviously falls clearly within this definition. The recently described electric public service vehicle with a petrol or diesel engine driving a generator for recharging its batteries towards the end of its run would not be an "electrically propelled vehicle" for the purpose of this Act. (Neither would the old Tilling Stevens petrol-electric bus of the First World War).
Generally speaking, an electrically propelled vehicle is, for the purposes of the various road traffic regulations, a motorcycle (under 8cwt unladen weight and with three wheels or less) or a motor car (that is a mechanically propelled vehicle which is not a motorcycle and which is under 3 tons unladen weight). If it is over 3 tons ulw it would be a heavy motor car but so far as I know none is made in this size.
In calculating the unladen weight of electrically propelled vehicles the 6th Schedule to the Excise Act provides that the weight of "accumulators used for the purpose of the supply of power for the propulsion of the vehicle" can be excluded when the unladen weight is being computed. Additionally a specially low excise duty is payable. For example, an electrically propelled vehicle with an unladen weight of between 12 and 16cwt has a rate of duty of £26.25 per year. Its petrol counterpart has to pay £30 per year.
There is a special driving licence group for electrically propelled vehicles, group "L", but the holder of a licence for this group is not entitled to drive any other type of vehicle except a pedestriancontrolled vehicle or mowing machine. The holder of a provisional driving licence who is driving an electric goods vehicle constructed or adapted to carry only one person is not required to be accompanied by a qualified driver.
Paragraph 22 of the 1st Schedule to the Goods Vehicle (Operators' Licences) Regulations 1969 exempts electrically propelled vehicles from the need for operators' licences irrespective of their weight. As they are exempt from 0-licensing there is no need for the driver of such vehicles to keep records of hours worked (Regulation 12 of the Drivers' Hours (Goods Vehicles) (Keeping of Records) Regulations, 1970). However, drivers must abide by the ordinary drivers' hours of work rules. This type of vehicle is often employed on milk and bread deliveries and there are special concessions respecting hours of work for drivers engaged in these trades but broadly speaking the normal hours of work rules apply.
Plating and tasting Paragraph 10 of the 2nd Schedule of the Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1971 exempts "electrics" from the need for plating and testing even if they are over 30cwt ulw. They are not exempt from the less stringent test for motor cars.under the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1968.
Regulation 17 of the Motor Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1973 exempts electrically propelled vehicles from the requirements concerning seat belts and seat belt anchorage points. Regulation 20 requires that vehicles fitted with solid tyres must have a wheel rim diameter of at least 670mm (26.378in.). The same regulation exempts electric vehicles with an unladen weight of less than 1270kg (25cwt) from this requirement.
As the regulations concerning the 6 bhp per ton power to weight ratio is concerned only with vehicles fitted with compression ignition engines, electrically propelled vehicles are not bothered with it. Incidentally, in line with present policy, the C and U Regs now talk of 4.4kW per 1000kg instead of the more familiar brake horse power per ton — but the ratio is the same.
Regulation 60 (2) (b) of the C and U Regs exempts electric vehicles from the general condition that recut pneumatic tyres must not be used on motor cars.
Electrically propelled vehicles are able to take advantage of any concession granted to the particular type of job on which they are engaged. For example, there are many exemptions in the C and U Regs for works trucks and any electric vehicle used for this purpose could take advantage of all of them.