New Electric 5-cwt, Van
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PAA CENTRAL driving position, a built-in battery charger and chain drive to a rear wheel are outstanding details of a new 5-cwt. battery-electric parcels van made by B.M.A. and Electrical Equipment Co., Alice Street, Hove. It has been designed for cheap and rapid delivery of light but bulky loads, having a maximum speed of 17-18 m.p.h. The 54-volt 140-amp.-hr. battery is claimed to give a working range of 30-35 miles with an average of half-load. The van weighs 12i cwt. complete with battery and costs 1475, plus £42 4s. 5d. purchase tax.
The chassis is a fabricated all-welded structure with qua-rter-eitiptic springs at the front and semi-elliptic units at the rear. Additional strength is provided by the body, which has a welded steel-tube frame and is panelled with hardboard. The chassis and body are shaped for a step-in entrance behind the front wheels and there is a hinged door in the near side of the cab. Access to the load is provided from the cab and the rear. A low tailboard is fitted, above which is a roll-up canvas tilt.
The steering wheel, controls and Semi-bucket seat are located centrally in the cab, the steering gear incorporating a Burman box. A Sharp three-stage control is operated by a pedal adjacent to the Lockheed hydraulic equipment, which takes effect on all wheels_ The motor is a four-pole series-wound unit driving through a double-reduction chain and sprocket arrangement, contained in an oil bath, to the off-side rear wheel. The charging equipment, using high-grade metal rectifiers, incorporates a Sunvic automatic relay, which brings in the low finishing rate.
Main dimensions of the vehicle are: Wheelbase, 6 ft.; turning circle, 20 ft.; body floor height, 1 ft. 8 ins.; payload space, 4 ft. 2 ins. by 3 ft. 5 ins.; average height of the interior, 3 ft. 3 ins. Small wheels with ,16-in. by 4-in. tyres assist in reducing the hcigot of the cab entrance and body
floor.