ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14607, 17 May 1918, Page 5

ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

AD VANTAGES OF BATTERY SYSTEM. "Mechanical road traction lias come to stay," remarked Air. Lawrence Bei'kes, P.W.D. electrical engineer, m the course of a recent address delivered tit Cliristchuroh. "Of the three forces of mechanical traation — the steam engine, petrol vehicle and electric battery-vehicle — each has its own sphere. The steam traction engine is for heavy loads over long distances, the petrol vehicle for lighter loads over long distances, and the electric battery vehicle for heavy or light loads over short distances with numerous .stoppages — that is, for all town and suburban delivery work, city refuse collection, indoor transport trucks, portable cranes, invalid chair traction, and the whole of the purely city and suburban, motor car traction. This is perhaps a large claim, but I am confident that it can be justified, and Is already being .fully demonstrated- by the developments that are taking place m America and England, and by the experience already gained) m Christchurch. Whilst water power is available, and even with electricity generated from steam power at a cost of any tiling less than. 3d 1 per unit, it will pay to' use it m preference to the importation of motor spirits for which wo have to pledge our credit to a foreign country to the extent of l^d to 3d per mile of transport. Here m Christchurch 'electricity is available at night for battery charging as low as one-sixth of a penny per unit, and at this price the actual cost of electricity, allowing simply for all losses,, range's at from one-eighth of a. penny to one farthing per mile. "Lake Coleridge, scheme is only the start of an enormous development. There is no doubt that m time the electric power mains Avill reticulate tlia whole Dominion. They will permeate as far as the telephone wire does to-day and further. The supply of electricity will become as essential a factor m the national , life as pur railways or our newspapers. Nor is this day far distant. Although the use of the battery truck is so far limited/ m New Zealand to Christchurch, Wellington, Dunedin, and Rongotea, this is no reason for delaying the investigation of the problems involved. Already electric battery runs have been made, from Christchurch to Lake Coleindge (65 miles), climbing 1500 ft. over wet and 1 muddy roads with: out re-charging, and from Christahureli to Timaru and back, 110 miles each way. with a charge only at Ashburton on the route. . In Christchurch the main charging and ea raying station is that established at the city destructor, where accommmodation is now provided for 15 vehicles at an annual overall charge of £35 to £65 per year, according to capacity, including garaging and battery uttendarice, and plans aa-e being discussed to extend this to the antioipated demand of 600 vehicles. , At the Public Works Department's main station at Addington provision has been made for five vehicles, and two are already m use. The cost to the Department for charging the vehicles is so low that it is quite impossible to assess it, except on a purely arbitrary basis. There is one special private charging station at Riccarton, the charge- for energy supplied bein^ £6 a year, working out at one-sixth ot a penny per car mile, which is surely low enough." Describing the features of the storage battery, Mr. Birks stated there were two main types — 'the old lead sulphuric acjdi cell, and the new aJkalino or Edison cell. Of these the lead battery whs the cheaper and the more efficient, kut these two advantages ware more than counter-balanced m tlie Edison cell. It was very easy by a. single mistake to practically destroy the lead battery, but the Edison battery could be mishandled to .quite a considerable extent with only •minor damage, which was easily put right. On this account practically all the New Zealand and most of tho American vehicles were equipped with Edison batteries m spite of their high initial cost. The- speaker went on to say there were thirteen battery lorries m service m Christchurch, and a dozen more were on their way out. In every «as© the chassis only had been imported, and the bodifls have been made locally and do substantial credit to the local builders, lliere '.jtyere two electric motor oars vi use inT Christchurch, and a third was being, built locally. Another development which promised to .have a great influence on the comfort of the disabled soldiers i was the battery invalid chair. Statistics . were quoted to -show that then* was a definite savin": of J2& per day Avith, cither light or heavy type of electric vehicle over pptrol-di'iven vehicles, and of about 30 per cent, on tho cost per ton mile curte'd. This, ho said, wan quite conclusive, but it did not by aliy means express the whole saving. The starting and stoppage Avere much quicker, easier and smoother with the electric than with the petrol vehicle. This meant more work was done m the day and there was less damage to the goods. Any capable man could lejirn m ten. minutes all there Avas to" learn m driving, and the work was therefore noi**tied. up to one map. Th» liability r to. accident and stoppage was much loss, nnd the absence of petrol reduced firp risk.