Electrics to join SEB fleet
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EIGHTEEN months of planning and two months of proving trials have cleared the way for Southern Electricity Board to conduct a full scale experiment using electricpowered vehicles in place of diesel.
A total of 22 Chloride Dodge 6.25 ton demountable vehicles will go into service by the end of August, being used as tower wagons on streetlight maintenance, appliance delivery, cable jointing and sub-station service, replacing existing KC30, Walkthru dieselengined vehicles.
Each has a 160 volt mains system powered by 80 two volt battery cells. A separate 12 volt circuit is run from a converter.
The fleet will be divided into three parts to operate from Portsmouth with its steep hills out of the town, Chichester, which by comparison is flat and the Isle of Wight, described by George Steel, SEB transport manager, as the worst conditions for operating electric vehicles.
Operational range is said to be in excess of 50 miles including an average of three stops per mile, but retaining 20 per cent of full charge, sufficient to maintain adequate road speed.
Acceleration comparisons have shown that the performance up to 40 mph is similar to its diesel equivalent. Recharging is to be carried out at open air bays, using cheap rate electricity, overnight during a seven hour period.