Big Developments Foreshadowed in Battery-electric Vehicles
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A LTHOUGH war conditions have driaccelerated the acceptance of the battery-electric vehicle, there are reasons to suppose that increased popularity for this transport medium was coming in any case and will remain as an important factor when the war is over. At present, it has the obvious merit that it consumes a home-produced fuel which is not rationed, but, important although that may be, it is only a part of the story.
It is stated that a 10-cwt. electric van will cover a mile.on half a unit of electricity and that this is equivalent to petrol at about 5d. a gallon. Moreover, lubrication costs are low and tyres usually last rather longer on • this type of yehicle. All these facts were at one time offset by battery costs, but that hogy has disappeared' with the development of the modern long-lived traction battery with its three-year guarantee.
Limitations Not So Serious
To-day the principal limitations of the battery-electric vehicle are a mileage range of 30 to 40 miles on one charge and a maximum speed which is modest compared with that of the petrolor oil-engined vehicle. These disadvantages are, however, not so important as they might seem to be.
Last week, at a luncheon, followinga Press visit to the Hall Green (Birmingham) works of Associated Electric Vehicle Manufacturers, Ltd., Mr. E. H. A. Richardson, joint managing director of that concern, reminded us that an electric car was in fact the first self-propelled road vehicle in history to travel at a speed of 60 m.p.h. More important than that, however, was his statement that 60 per cent, of the transport of this country occurs in urban areas and, of that proportion, some 75 per cent, is effected by vehicles which do not cover more than 30 miles a day. This suggests quite clearly a particularly wide field for the application of battery vehicles. Mr. Richardson made it clear that his company intends to compete energetically for a large part of the market which this represents.
This concern is the proprietor of A. E. Morrison and Sons, Ltd., of Leicester, and of Electricars, Ltd., of Birmingham. Under the present organization the Leicester factory is employed entirely on body building, whereas the Birmingham works is engaged on chassis manufacture. It produces a wide variety of battery
electric vehicles with load capacities ranging from 8 cwt. to 10 tons, and
naturally the ' methods employed include much that is of interest. So far as individual operations are concerned, this is not the occasion for a detailed description.
ft is worthy of notice, however, that every component is specially designed and built at this factory for the particular purpose to which it is to be put. Where large numbers are involved, it is true that batches subsequent to the first set are frequently " put out " to known specialist manufacturers elsewhere, but every part of the first chassis at least is made at the Hall Green.factory, where it is proudly claimed that they " can make anything."
Manufacturing Arrangements In practice this plan results in the complete manufacture of every heavyvehicle chassis at that works and in the erection also of all the lightermodels for which some components are actually made elsewhere to the company's design.
One unusual line which we noticed is the conversion of petrol vehicles to electric propulsion. A batch of SO elderly Cormner two-tanners for one fleet owner is in process of having the engine, gearbox and various other items replaced by batteries, electric motor and the necessary controls, at a cost of about £200 per vehicle.
There is at Hall Green room for considerable expansion and it was stated by Mr. Richardson that the intention is to increase output to four times its present volume. The belief is that this year's production of electric_ vehicles will equal the total number of them on the road at the end of 1939, and some idea of that figure can be gained from the fact that before the war commenced there were over 5,000 such vehicles in regular use.
In some quarters it may well be thought that this expectation is somewhat optimistic. On the other hand it is undeniable that, in addition to improvements in the vehicles themselves, the heavy taxation both of liquid fuels and of the ordinary types of vehicle do give to electric vehicles certain distinct advantages which fuel rationing serves all the more strongly to emphasize.
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