Boosting the Battery Vehicle.
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The Electrical Press takes Exception to Our Investigation of the Claims that are now being Made for the Latest Recruit to Commercial-Vehicle Ranks.
"Let it, then, be war." In such pleasaet and inviting terms does our contemporary, " The Electrician," Signify its, desire to enter the field of commercialvehicle enterprise in this country, a field which has been amicably and, ,yet effectively exploited since 1896 by the builders of the steam-driven and petrol-driven industrial vehicles.
Our technical contemporary has, it would appear, been roused to this stage of contemplated militancy by the publication of an article entitled " Boosting the Battery Vehicle," which appeared in our issue of the 26th March last. This was the occasion upon which we (leak with the paper that had been read a little while previously by Mr. F. Ay ton for the furtherance of the propaganda of the Commercial Vehicle Committee of the Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association, Our Function as Interpreter.
Mr. Ayton had, as was natural, made out the best case he could for the re-introduction into this country of the battery-propelled automobile, but his paper contained many statements which, if they had been allowed to go unchallenged or been accepted without reserve, might have done much to prevent the user of commercial motors generally from forming a clear idea of the relative merits of the various types of modern haulage on common reads which are now available for his use.
Four-phase Alternation.
The article in question is described by another electrical contemporary, " Electrical Industries," as containing "an alternation of sarcasm, insinuation, contempt and soft soap." We deprecate such flattering apprisal of our attemptto place certain obvious consaderations iti respect of the battery vehicle before our readers.
'Qua the Petrol-Electric.
We may repeat at once that it is our desire, as we have written more than once, to foster by all means m our power the development of every kind of industrialmotor vehicle, he it steam, petrol or electricity propelled. Why should our attitude be antagonistic to the battery machine any more than it is to the petrolelectric model? It neither is nor has been antagonistic to either. On the other hand, why should we be asked to gloss over what we suggest are possible drawbacks in respect of electric-battery propulsion, any more than we should be expected to admit that the steam wagon is the best model for long-distance, highspeed haulage, or that the petrol vehicle is capable, under all circumstances, of beating the steamer on costs for heavy loads?
Front Our Point of View.
It is our business as experts to investigate the case for all types. and wie would submit that it is the businesa of those who are engaged in the boosting of any special type of chassis nieelia.ni_ant to That our contemporaries, " The Electrician" and "Electrical Industries," look at it frnm another point of view is unfortunate for them and for the prospects of a successful entry into an established industry of a type of machine which needs all the help and a.eistanee it can secure. 176. Points which are Resented but not Disproved. The two principal points, amongst those which we made in the article to which we have referred, and which have unwittingly acted as a call to arms for those who are interested in the electrical industry, were : that we were not neceasarily convinced by the special pleading of those who wished to see the electric vehicle adopted on a large scale solely on account of the fact that it would enable them to dispose of superthious power ; and that we considered that there was a collateral risk in respect of the dependence of the battery vehicle upon the cential station in times of labour troubles which might threaten, and in many cases already have threatened, the free eupply of power. We Want Proved Costs for a Period. Now, with regard to the fit contention which has caused this flutter in the electrical dovecots, we, and our readers, too, we imagine, shall be the more readily and completely convinced of all the claims that are so readily being put forward on behalf of the battery machine if and when we.are presented with accurate, certified costs of operation for vehicles under actual working conditions over a period, shall we say, of not less than five years. We again ask for these. Why No Proof from America? With all this talk of very many thousands of battery vehicles in constant operation in America, and of their ability to do much haulage work of various .elasses better and more cheaply than the petrol vehicle and the steam wagon, it should not be a difficult matter to satisfy these demands for actual data. by the selection and xmblication of, shall we say, but one or two certified bills of coats of the kind indicated above. All the talk in the world of the supply of current at a half-penny or one penny a unit does not answer the questions which automatically arise on this subject concerning: the ability of the electrical vehicle economically to beat other established types of machines on costs, which shall include all the usual allocations, via., driver, power, lubricants, tires, maintenance including material and wages, rent and rates, insurance, depreciation and interest on capital ; the ratio of tare weight to gross weight ; the ability to act in any direction over considerable mileages at all times ; the abilityto operate economically on any hut smooth flat urban roads', the capacity for high-speed, point-topoint deliveries. The cost per net ton-mile must be disclosed, and proved reasonable. Must Make the Best of Admitted Claims. All these points want investigating, and we trust that our electrical friends will make the best efforts to do so, but it is no definite answer merely to lay claim to the abilities of the battery vehicle under these various headings. Proof is wanted. Therefore, we suggest that they must, in the absence of proof arising from actual service, for the time being, rest content with certain obvious if somewhat limited advantages which their chassis possess. They must make the most of silence of operation, of the desire of municipal corporations to employ, even at. increased cost, machines which will use up current which they can supply at times of " no-peak loads," and the facility of operation on the part of the driver (even if he be inclined to abuse the battery by misuse at times). Then, when the time comes that costs are here forthcoming, if they are not available for some reason or other from the vast mass of accumulated data which we feel sure could be obtained from America. they can challenge existing types on level economical terms. It is our desire to hold the scales es enly as betweeu all types, but we cannot commit ourselves to fathering ill-considered statements of .capabilities unless they are backed up by something like definite proof. That Central-station Poser. Our criticism of the central station, in respect of commercial vehicles, still holds good, and neither of our electrical contemporaties has attempted to traverse our argument. They rely upon the record that, in times of labour unrest, when every effort has been made to disable a community's source of light and power, the officials have, by superhuman efforts, managed to keep the dynamos turning. But ii. has to he remembered that this is going to become a more difficalt task as labour becomes reore organized, and the clever strike manipulator will do in this country what has already been done in Paris—strike quickly at the central source of power. We are Not Enamoured of Central-station Methods. We do not in any way claim that this difficulty need enuse any user to forego any advantages which the electrical vehicle can offer, if he decide to take the risk. There is a risk, and that fact has not yet been challenged. The policy of putting all the eggs in one basket in respect of transport equipment is not a :.ound one, and no better illustration of that statement is required than the not infrequent disablement of tramway services through failures at central stations or at important points on the distribating :systems. Shall the Last Be First ? We would only remind our electrical friends that, when the central station is hard pressed, and when that part of the community which is not on strike is doing its level best to maintain supplies of electrical power, private users of " juice '' will not, we imagine, have first, second or even third claims to the consideration of those who have to make the best of things. We must have light and, in many eases, unfortunately, we must have trains. Power or factories must also be found, and, lastly, the relatively-small demand for electric-vehicle charging will be con sidered. It is more than probable, therefore, that the electric vehicle will he very seriously outclassed in respect of independent means of egmbatting any intended paralysing of trade when compared with the steam wagon, the petrol wagon, or the pettel-electric vehicle. We Wish to Aid the Newcomer—But Honestly. There is a future for the electric vehicle, and a considerable one, and it is our desire to see this cat's of machine developed in every possible way. For fire brigades, for many municipal services and possibly for certain classes of light, small-area deliveries there should be little difficulty in persuading users to consider carefully the special claims of the battery, but its interest will not be served by any statements of a kind that were used in Mr. Ayton's paper. For in etance: " Upon the basis of operating costs the electrical vehicle is the only type of power-driven machine that can take the horse's place.' The horse is not the alternative. Or, again: " The electrical vehicle can show a degree of economy and a record for reliability with which no other existing type of vehicle can hope to corapete." Things We Want to linow. These statements aae: not accurate, and, of course, they have not been proved. We shall await with friendly interest answers to the following questions: (1) Can certified and acceptable costs of running be produced as a result of the, operation of over 17,000 electric-battery vehicles in the U.S.A., or are thoae costs, owing to the nature of the service and the economical conditions in that country, not comparable with costs of competing and existing types of industrial machines in this country? (2) Why is it that so many power-producing authorities all over the country are purchasing for their own use petrol-driven motorbuses and fireengines, when, obviously, they should be the mosteasily convinced class of users in respect of the alternative battery? (3) Why is it that in America, of all countries, the Cleveland Electric Light and Supply Co. has recently bought 18 petrol-driven vehicles in preference to battery machines, despite the fact that its power would cost it nothing ? (4) How will the battery vehicle fare if an annual tax on an axle-weight basis be adopted Previous Failures Can Be Lived Down. Finally, we wish. to make no capital out of the admitted and invariable failure of the battery vehicle up to a year or so ago in this country ; improvements have been effected which place the case for this machine in another category nowadays. Nor do we wish to emphasize the modern failure of the electric vehicle in taxicab service. in Berlin. There are setoffs to this in respect of the satisfactory employment of battery chassis in fire-brigade and municipal use in Paris, Berlin, and other Continental cities. Let There Be Proof. We trust we shall not be accused of cowardice when we decline to accept our contemporary, " The Fleetrician's," bellicose challenge. Perhaps, however, this outburst is mere evidence of unharnessed energy. Let it not he ‘var ; there iseno need for it. Let it, rather, be proofs.Tags