Electric Escort
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,TERN ELECTRICITY has delivery of an electric'tired Ford Escort van.
le electric Escort is unique mg the current generation of tric vehicles as it retains the nal mechanical gearbox. It is le built in limited quantities Firefly Electric Vehicles, istow Avenue, Milton refly buys standard Escorts ;h go through the normal delivery inspection before petrol engine is replaced and eries installed.
vo versions are offered, 72v 96v, with ranges of approxi?ly 65 and 80km (40 and 50 s) respectively. Top speed is ned to be around 40mph.
ie batteries are housed in locations: some are in the t of the vehicle in the posi tion normally occupied by the radiator; most of the batteries are installed behind the seats in a forced-air ventilated housing.
The space required for this second battery pack has resulted in a reduction in load space from 2.6 to 2.4cum (94 to 88cuft).
The payload for the vehicle is 340kg (6.7cwt) compared with the (508kg) 10cwt of the petrol powered version. _ The electric motor weighs only 46kg (1021b), which Firefly claims is about 50 per cent lighter than other motors of the same horsepower rating.
The 72v and 96v versions are priced at £6,480 and £6,650.
Firefly also carries out conversions to electric power on pickups from Ford, Mazda, Bedford, Datsun and Toyota.