OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
Page 20
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The Editor invites correspondence an all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.
The Electric Vehicle as a Source of Income.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1684] Sir,--You have put the case for the above very temperately in the article published in pages 461 and 465 of your July sth issue. For short haulage work within a 10-miles radius from any centre, to cover deliveries in City and suburban districts, involving frequent stops and restarts, battery traction has proved itself the speediest and most economical means of transport.
Quick acceleration without gear changes, the nimble threading of dense traffic by reason of short wheelbase, and the fact that they consume no energy while at rest are outstanding points in favour of electric vans. There are many other advantages which cannot be gone into here. All these were carefully weighed by railway companies and large stores, with the result that 'battery vehicles have been adopted by them on a large scale. Operating costs were singled out for specially searching investigation, and found to compare well with the corresponding expenses for other modes of traction.
Nothing short of conclusive proof that electric vans are best suited "all round for their particular class of service would have led to the verdict given in their favour.'
Overall costs, such as you estimate in respect of a 2-ton vehicle, for example, namely, 15.02d. per mile, 220 mile's per week, would have placed battery vans at a disadvantage unless these could 'he qualified materially. The remark :that your figures are on the top side and may be improved uporn-with reasonable care leaves actual costs too much in doubt.
For instance, the cost of "battery renewals," to which you refer somewhat pointedly, is not nearly so formidable an item as it can be represented to be. Look upon it as a sinking fund towards the purchase of a new set of cells in due course.
In the case of the Ironclad-Exide type, •a readilyascertainable amount can be set aside per day or per week, which, under the guarantee of the Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd., will be sufficient in Me aggregate to pay for a new battery at the end of two years, or at any time before thatperiod has ter initiated if necessary. I lay stress on the words "if necessary."
The makers, in‘showing their confidence as to the service life of Ironclad-Exide cells under all sorts of conditions throughout the country, must, clearly, have allowed some margin on the safe side. In other words, the " average life may be taken as more than two years, while there are frequent records of three years and longer. You estimate battery renewals at 710 pence per week for a 2-ton wagon-540 pence per week for sinking fund would he enough, as a matter of fact, but let that pass. The higher you make this weekly, contribution the less time is required to make up the value in money of a new set of cells.
Whenever, then, the battery life exceeds two years, on my showing the user finds himself 45s. to the good per week on his overall costs, or 2.45d. per mile.
The purchase price of battery vehicles may safely be written down in customers' books at 10 per cent. per annum. With periodical renovation of batteries and tyres, there is no reason why a chassis should not last 12 to 15 years if honestly built in the first place. The liability to obsolescence has not to be provided against in anything like the same measure as with internal-combustion motors, the efficiency of which varies according to the nature and grade of fuel available. The supply of electricity cannot be cornered. Then there is the important factor of
D52 servioe—reliability of motor lorries affecting their respective transportation costs.
Five per cent. loss of the possible service-hours is a liberal allowance to make in regard to battery vehicles, due to their being out of commission from any cause year by year. Should the degree of immunity from disablement not have been stated when contrasting the estimated standing and running 'expenses in your tables?
Delivery vans while in hospital become chargeable against revenue instead of their helping to earn
dividends.—Yours faithfully, L. BROOEMAN.
Absent from the Tractor Trials.
Th,e Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. [less] Sir,—With reference to the Lincoln trials, kindly give us space to say why we shall not be taking part in these trials.
We had intended entering both the Monarch Neverslip and Kardell tractors, but in face of the Government's attitude towards tractors and the absolute uncertainty of the position, we have decided that, as business men, it is not a possible proposition to spend money on prognoting the sale of the goods we may not be able to deliver.
In your last issue you published the statement that
the Government had agreed to permit the importation of tractors which had been entered for these trials, but, as the Government changes its mind about import matters usually once a week, and has absolutely declined to define,' its policy, this " concession" Means nothing, and is quite useless, seeing that the permission to import tractors for these trials is no guarantee of permission' to import tractors afterwards. And we, for one, decline to spend another cent on the strength of Government promises or possible intentions. As a matter of fact, the government is now refusing to give us a licence to import implements which we have already sold to customers--a permission given us all through the war. We have Monarch tractors in stock which we could use for the trialS, but we have no desire to keep them on hand with no certainty of being able to import others if sold, and more Particularly as the model we intended to enter is the one we are out of stock of at the present time; We trust this explanation will be of use to your readers who may. have been looking forward to seeing the Monarch and Kardell tractors in these trials.— Yours faithfully, TEE POWER FARM SUPPLY CO.,
All.