Battery electric vehicles shown in City of London

Mar. 03, 1966 - Battery Electric Vehicles demonstrated: Two battery electric Minis converted from conventional 10 engine driver and an experimental purpose built short range electric car called the Scamp were demonstrated in the heart of the City of London today. Instead of filling up with fuel the cars plug in to cheap off peak electricity giving a running cost of about ?d per mile. The cars were shown by the Electricity Council as a stage in the evolution of an all purpose, short range commuting and town centre car. The mini conversions are part of the Electricity Council's Appliance and Methods Research Panel and have been three years in development. They were converted for the Electricity Council by private firms, including Associated Electrical Industries Ltd and Talcarchies Ltd on two separate and different systems. The aim was to establish technical data about the acceleration speed, and range of the electric cars of the future. In addition a fourth car, a small bubble type, converted to electric drive by the Isle of Man firm, Peel Engineering, was also shown. The Scamp is a development by the aircraft firm Scottish Aviation. The model shown was experimental. On costs, it was said that battery electric cars for 100 miles use a week could prove to have only one third of the total running costs of similarly used, small internal combustion engine cars. Energy costs alone could be as low as the equivalent of 130-170 miles per gallon. Photo shows Mr. Dennis Smart at today's demonstration with a Peel Engineering Trident, a four wheel, one or two seater baby car of 6ft. length and 3ft. 6 ins width. It operates on two 12V batteries with a carbon pile regulator. The makers state the maximum speed to be 35 mph and range approximately 40 miles. In the background is the Scamp which has a 35 mph maximum speed and 30 mph cruising speed. Its energy costs are said to be equivalent to 170 miles to the gallon

Restrictions Only for United Kingdom

Acceleration Addition Approximately Batteries Battery Bubble Carbon Cheap Combustion Commuting Conventional Conversions Converted Cost Costs Cruising Data Demonstrated Equivalent Establish Experimental Filling Firm Firms Gallon Industries Instead Internal Makers Maximum Methods Minis Operates Peel Pile Plug Prove Purpose Regulator Scamp Seater Separate Similarly Trident Width

Features In These Collections

> Contributors > KEY