Electric Vehicles

Bob Uppendown · 04-08-2008, 02:41 PM

"The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) in Ireland is pushing for the widespread use of electricity to power the country’s transport.
Padraig McManus, chief executive of the ESB, is calling on the Irish government to give financial backing to the introduction of electric cars..."

That is the opening paragraph from an article today in the fairhome News section. And it's one I am very pleased to see!

It is already possible to buy battery-powered cars - and apart from having no tailpipe emissions, they are extremely cheap to run. Unfortunately most of the ones currently available are a bit disappointing in one of two ways. Either they do have a good range (say 80 miles or more) but cost a fortune because the latest batteries are still expensive. Or they run off old-style batteries, making them cheap to buy, but offer dull performance.

There is a whole rash of newer better electric cars coming onto the streets in 2009-2011 from several mainstream makers - and I look forward to buying one. But meanwhile electric delivery vehicles are already happening. Two makers - Modec (in Coventry) and Smith Electric Vehicles (north-east England) already have several hundred vans and trucks between 3.5ton (that's Ford Transit size) and 12ton (that's removals van size) in service with supermarkets and parcel firms. In December an Irish distributor placed an order for 100 electric-powered Smith vans and trucks. Those are now being delivered - and that news article here today makes it likely that more will follow

Bob

04-08-2008, 02:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bob Uppendown Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3	Electric Vehicles "The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) in Ireland is pushing for the widespread use of electricity to power the country’s transport. Padraig McManus, chief executive of the ESB, is calling on the Irish government to give financial backing to the introduction of electric cars..." That is the opening paragraph from an article today in the fairhome News section. And it's one I am very pleased to see! It is already possible to buy battery-powered cars - and apart from having no tailpipe emissions, they are extremely cheap to run. Unfortunately most of the ones currently available are a bit disappointing in one of two ways. Either they do have a good range (say 80 miles or more) but cost a fortune because the latest batteries are still expensive. Or they run off old-style batteries, making them cheap to buy, but offer dull performance. There is a whole rash of newer better electric cars coming onto the streets in 2009-2011 from several mainstream makers - and I look forward to buying one. But meanwhile electric delivery vehicles are already happening. Two makers - Modec (in Coventry) and Smith Electric Vehicles (north-east England) already have several hundred vans and trucks between 3.5ton (that's Ford Transit size) and 12ton (that's removals van size) in service with supermarkets and parcel firms. In December an Irish distributor placed an order for 100 electric-powered Smith vans and trucks. Those are now being delivered - and that news article here today makes it likely that more will follow Bob