GreenCar Magazine » Smith Electric Vehicles

Smith Electric Vehicles has played a key role in producing Europe’s first zero emission truck-mounted boom lift.

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:55:07 +0000

Vehicle-mounted booms are designed to safely lift workers, in order to carry out maintenance and service work on buildings and utilities. Typical applications include street light repairs. Previously, manufacturers had to mount their personnel lifts on diesel truck chassis. The truck’s diesel engine powers the lift, creating additional harmful emissions in city centres.

Now, Custers Hydraulica BV in The Netherlands, has mounted a boom lift on the Smith Newton electric truck chassis. The 10,000kg Newton is powered by leading edge lithium-ion batteries, providing a top speed of 80km/h (50 mph) and a range of up to 100km (62 miles). The li-ion batteries also power the vehicle lift.

Dubbed the Custers Taurus 265-12.5E, the articulating boom lift delivers a working height of 12.5m and outreach of up to 7.5m, with a platform capacity of 265kg. The first Taurus 265-12.5E is already engaged in applications such as traffic signal and telecoms maintenance in Holland.

Paul van Eldijk, Sales Manager for Custers, said: “Most truck-mounted lifts are ideal candidates to be electric vehicles – they are primarily engaged in low mileage, urban operations.

“Not only is the truck emissions-free, but it is practically silent, meaning the unit can carry out night work in residential areas, unlike diesel-powered lifts.

“Our customers want us to produce more environmentally-friendly vehicles. Custers is already planning additional lifts on chassis from Smith Electric Vehicles.”

The Newton truck is recharged overnight with electricity generated from sustainable sources and the boom lift also uses biodegradable hydraulic oil.

First All Electric Truck Rolls Off the Assembly Line in North America

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:30:31 +0000

Staples is amoung the first customers to receive the all electric vehicle.

Launched in the UK in 2006, the Smith Newton is the world’s largest road-going electric truck. Three models are available in Europe, with gross vehicle weights of 7,500 – 12,000kg. The Newton has a restricted top speed of 50mph (80km/h) and its lithium-ion batteries deliver a range of up to 100 miles (160km) on a single charge. A full recharge takes 6-8 hours.

SEV US Corp owns the license to assemble and sell the Newton in North America. All design and product development work is conducted by Smith Electric Vehicles in the UK.

SEV US Corp now has an order book for 255 Newton trucks and is to receive additional funding from the Department of Energy for 65 Newtons. This is on top of the $10m DoE funding SEV US Corp won earlier this year!

Furthermore, SEV US Corp is to produce a prototype electric delivery van for the United States Postal Service.

Given the huge early success of Newton and the opportunity presented by the US Postal Service vehicle, SEV US Corp has decided to withdraw from the electric Ford Transit Connect project in North America. We are therefore no longer proceeding with developing the Smith Ampere vehicle for the rest of the world.

Electric Vans and Trucks will be on the Streets of Hong Kong and Macau

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:20:06 +0000

Wallace Harper & Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Hong Kong Ltd, has signed a distribution agreement with Smith Electric Vehicles in the UK. The contract appoints Wallace Harper as the exclusive distributor for Smith’s world-leading electric commercial vehicles in Hong Kong and Macau.

Peter Goh, Managing Director of Sime Darby HK Ltd, said: “These pure electric vehicles are zero emission at the point of use, helping to reduce carbon emissions and improve urban air quality.

“Electric commercial vehicles provide a low carbon, zero emission, alternative to conventional vans and trucks, without compromising on performance. We envisage these electric vehicles replacing substantial numbers of traditional diesel vehicles in major towns and cities.”

Designed for urban operations, the Smith vehicles have a top speed of 50mph and a range on a single battery charge of up to 100 miles. The Smith Edison van and minibus are based on the Ford Transit chassis and are produced in collaboration with Ford of Europe. The Smith Newton is the world’s largest road-going electric truck, available in 7,500kg, 10,000kg and 12,000kg models. Both Edison and Newton have been on sale in the UK and Europe for over two years, with customers including DHL, TNT and the Royal Mail.

Wallace Harper, which is also the exclusive Ford distributor for Hong Kong, has already ordered its first fleet of vehicles from Smith, including electric trucks, vans and minibuses. The vehicles, due for delivery early next year, are destined for major fleet operators across the public and private sectors in Hong Kong and Macau.

Kevin Harkin, Sales Director for Smith Electric Vehicles, said: “Hong Kong is driving forward a strategy to be a leader in the adoption of electric vehicles, as a measure to improve urban air quality and reduce carbon emissions from road transport.

“It is a key market for Smith, so we are delighted to have found the strongest possible partner in Wallace Harper and the Sime Darby Group.”

Smith Newton Named Ireland’s Best Electric Truck

admin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:04:34 +0000

The Smith Newton is now officially Ireland’s leading electric commercial vehicle, after winning a new award for green trucks.

Newton was named Green Commercial of the Year in the electric vehicle section of the Fleet Transport Irish Truck of the Year Awards 2010, sponsored by Castrol.

David Mullen, Managing Director of Electric Vehicles Ireland, the country’s sole importer and distributor of Smith Electric Vehicles, said: “We are proud and delighted to be the first recipients of this prestigious new award.

“Three years ago, no one would have believed that a twelve tonne electric truck would be on the roads as a real, viable alternative to diesel vehicles.

“The fact that Fleet Transport has added an electric vehicle category to its awards is testament to how mainstream commercial EVs have become.”

The award-winning Smith Newton truck is available in three model sizes of 7.5, 10 and 12 tonne GVW. Fully powered by lithium-ion batteries, the Newton has a restricted top speed of 50mph and a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge. A full recharge takes just 6-8 hours.

The seventh annual Fleet Transport Irish Truck of the Year Awards were announced at a gala dinner held at the Marriott Johnstown House Hotel in, Enfield. 450 representatives from the road transport industry attended the event, which was hosted by RTE TV and Radio personality Marty Whelan. Guest of honour was Ivan Hodac, Secretary General of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association

Smith Leads Charge to Better Electric Vehicles with 120 Mile Range

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:28:01 +0000

Smith EV

WORLD-first technology that will increase electric vehicle range by up to 20% is to be developed in North East England.

Smith Electric Vehicles is working on a new ultra-efficient electric drive line, along with smarter, more energy efficient ancillary systems, such as heating and air conditioning. Combining all these elements together, Smith’s engineers believe they can improve the range of its electric vans by up to 20 miles on a full battery charge. Current maximum range is around 100 miles for urban operations.

Darren Kell, CEO of The Tanfield Group Plc, which owns Smith Electric Vehicles, said:

“This is the first time any company has taken on the development of better auxiliary systems for electric vehicles. We are undertaking pioneering work that has the potential to deliver range-extending capabilities suited to all passenger and commercial electric vehicles.”

Tanfield is part of a consortium that has secured £1.4m in matched funding towards the project, under the UK Government’s Ultra Efficient Systems programme, administered by the Technology Strategy Board.

The £2.8m investment will fund the development of three sub-systems and integrate them all into the Smith Edison, a pure electric version of the Ford Transit van produced in collaboration with Ford of Europe. However Tanfield believes there is substantial crossover potential for the auxiliary systems, into other electric cars, vans and trucks.

The primary objectives are to optimise drive train efficiency while also reducing parasitic losses and taking out weight. The core of the project is a new high efficiency motor, coupled with smart two-speed transmission and managed by a central vehicle systems controller.

The second phase will involve engineers developing the world’s first auxiliary systems designed specifically for electric vehicles – until now, EV manufacturers have adopted solutions from internal combustion engine vehicles, which are less energy efficient, heavier and poorly packaged. Smith’s new high voltage systems for air conditioning, power steering and heating will reduce drain on the traction batteries, thereby extending the vehicle’s range on a single charge.

The third element of the programme is to develop a smart central controller that co-ordinates all the vehicle’s systems.

Darren Kell said: “This development will maintain our position as a world leader in electric vehicle technology – and the translatable nature of the systems also offers us a substantial export opportunity.”

Smith Vehicles Test Drive Event at this Years Low Carbon Vehicle Conference

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:27:17 +0000

SMITH TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT LCV09

Smith Electric Vehicles will have a major presence at the UK’s premier low carbon vehicle event this month.

LCV2009, held at Millbrook, offers fleet managers the opportunity to test drive the full range of Smith vehicles including:

Smith Newton truck
Smith Edison panel van
Smith Edison minibus
Smith Ampere panel van
Smith Ampere people carrier (prototype)

Organized by Cenex, LCV2009 brings together the public and private sectors to examine, demonstrate and discuss the latest developments in low carbon vehicle technologies, from leading edge vehicles to recharging infrastructure.

A senior member of the Smith team will be delivering a keynote speech at the conference and we will also be supporting various other events over the two days

LCV2009 takes place at Millbrook Proving Grounds on September 9th and 10th.

To register for a visitor pass, or for further details, visit the website, www.lcv2009.co.uk.

President Obama Announces $2.4 Billion in Grants to Accelerate the Manufacturing and Deployment of the Next Generation of U.S. Batteries and Electric Vehicles

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:23:24 +0000

Further accelerating the manufacturing and deployment of electric vehicles, batteries, and components here in America, and creating tens of thousands of new jobs, President Obama today announced 48 new advanced battery and electric drive projects that will receive $2.4 billion in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

These projects, selected through a highly competitive process by the Department of Energy, will accelerate the development of U.S. manufacturing capacity for batteries and electric drive components as well as the deployment of electric drive vehicles, helping to establish American leadership in creating the next generation of advanced vehicles.

President Obama said,

If we want to reduce our dependence on oil, put Americans back to work and reassert our manufacturing sector as one of the greatest in the world, we must produce the advanced, efficient vehicles of the future.

Vice President Biden, added

For our nation and our economy to recover, we must have a vision for what can be built here in the future—and then we need to invest in that vision. That’s what we’re doing today and that’s what this Recovery Act is about.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu, had this to say,

These are incredibly effective investments that will come back to us many times over—by creating jobs, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, cleaning up the air we breathe, and combating climate change. They will help achieve the president’s goal of putting one million plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015. And, most importantly, they will launch an advanced battery industry in America and make our auto industry cleaner and more competitive.

The announcement marks the single largest investment in advanced battery technology for hybrid and electric-drive vehicles ever made. Industry officials expect that this $2.4 billion investment, coupled with another $2.4 billion in cost share from the award winners, will result directly in the creation tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. battery and auto industries.

The new awards cover the following areas:

•$1.5 billion in grants to United States-based manufacturers to produce batteries and their components and to expand battery recycling capacity

•$500 million in grants to United States-based manufacturers to produce electric drive components for vehicles, including electric motors, power electronics, and other drive train components

•$400 million in grants to purchase thousands of plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles for test demonstrations in several dozen locations; to deploy them and evaluate their performance; to install electric charging infrastructure; and to provide education and workforce training to support the transition to advanced electric transportation systems.

Today, President Obama visited Navistar International Corporation, in Elkhart, Indiana, to make the announcement. Navistar will receive a $39 million grant to manufacture electric trucks which the company reports will ultimately will create or save hundreds of jobs when full scale manufacturing at the site commences. Overall, seven projects in Indiana will receive grants totaling more than $400 million. The applications from the companies and from one university engaged in this technology research anticipate that these awards will create or save thousands of jobs.

Vice President Joe Biden and four Members of the Cabinet also fanned out across the country to discuss the historic announcement.

Vice President Biden was in Detroit to announce over $1 billion in grants to companies and universities based in Michigan. Reflecting the state’s leadership in clean energy manufacturing, Michigan companies and institutions are receiving the largest share of grant funding of any state. Two companies, A123 and Johnson Controls, will receive a total of approximately $550 million to establish a manufacturing base in the state for advanced batteries, and two others, Compact Power and Dow Kokam, will receive a total of over $300 million for manufacturing battery cells and materials. Large automakers based in Michigan, including GM, Chrysler, and Ford, will receive a total of more than $400 million to manufacture thousands of advanced hybrid and electric vehicles as well as batteries and electric drive components. And three educational institutions in Michigan—the University of Michigan, Wayne State University in Detroit, and Michigan Technological University in Houghton, in the Upper Peninsula—will receive a total of more than $10 million for education and workforce training programs to train researchers, technicians, and service providers, and to conduct consumer research to accelerate the transition towards advanced vehicles and batteries.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu, whose Department selected the 48 award winners, visited Celgard, in Charlotte, North Carolina, to announce a $49 million grant for the company to expand its separator production capacity to serve the expected increased demand for lithium-ion batteries from manufacturing facilities in the United States. Celgard will be expanding its manufacturing capacity in Charlotte, North Carolina, and nearby Aiken, South Carolina, and the company expects the new separator production to come online in 2010. Celgard expects that approximately hundreds of jobs could be created, with the first of those jobs beginning as early as fall 2009.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson was in St. Petersburg, Florida, to announce a $95.5 million grant for Saft America, Inc. to construct a new plant in Jacksonville on the site of the former Cecil Field military base, to manufacture lithium-ion cells, modules and battery packs for military, industrial, and agricultural vehicles.

Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation John Porcari visited East Penn Manufacturing Co., in Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, to award the company a $32.5 million grant to increase production capacity for their valve regulated lead-acid batteries and the UltraBattery, a lead-acid battery combined with a carbon supercapacitor, for micro and mild hybrid applications. East Penn Manufacturing is a third-generation family business with over 63 years in battery manufacturing.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke visited Kansas City, Missouri, to announce a $10 million grant for Smith Electric to build and deploy up to 100 electric vehicles, including vans, pickups, and their “Newton” brand medium duty trucks. In addition, Secretary Locke announced three other grants supporting manufacturing and educational programs in Missouri: a $30 million grant to Ford Motor Company supporting the manufacturing of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in Kansas City and in Michigan; a $73 million grant to Chrysler for the manufacturing of 220 plug-in hybrid and electric pickup trucks and minivans in St. Louis and in Michigan; and a $5 million grant to Missouri University of Science and Technology, in Rolla, Missouri, to fund educational and workforce training programs on advanced vehicles technologies.

See the full list of award winners (PDF 65 KB) and a map of their locations (PDF 371 KB). Download Adobe Reader.

Smith Electric Vehicles Collaborates with Ford Motor Company to Build Electric Vans

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:42:39 +0000

Smith Electric

Smith Electric Vehicles, the leading manufacturer of commercial electric vehicles, recently announced an electric vehicle development collaboration with Ford Motor Company. Smith Electric Vehicles, a trading division of The Tanfield Group Plc, will work with Ford to introduce a battery-electric light van, the first vehicle in the company’s broad electrification strategy for the North American market which was announced at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. This vehicle will be based on the European-designed Ford Transit Connect which goes on sale in North America this year.

The vehicle, which Smith will assemble in North America, will have a range of up to 100 miles on a full charge, without compromising the Transit Connect’s superior driving experience. It will operate very similarly to a conventional light van, but with smoother acceleration, less noise and zero emissions. The vehicle will be fully branded as a Ford product and will go on sale through selected Ford dealerships in North America in 2010.

Darren Kell, CEO of The Tanfield Group Plc, said:

”We are proud to be delivering the first vehicle in Ford’s new electrification strategy, with the battery-electric Ford Transit Connect.

“This enhances the Ford commercial vehicle portfolio with a zero-emission light van that is cost-effective, gets the job done and does not compromise Ford’s high standards for exceptional driving experience. It offers fleet owners the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint, improve city air quality and make a positive step towards our national energy security.

“The partnership with Ford and development of the battery-electric Ford Transit Connect demonstrates that Smith Electric Vehicles is the industry leader in commercial electric vehicles.”

Tanfield will be wholly responsible for supplying and integrating the power train, battery pack and control systems into the existing vehicle chassis envelope, with engineering support from Ford.

Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president, Product Development, said:

Our collaboration with Smith will result in the first battery-electric vehicle in Ford’s electrification strategy and positions Ford at the vanguard of the commercial electric vehicle industry.The collaborative approach adopted for delivering the battery-electric Ford Transit Connect ensures the most efficient route to market, through shared investment and expertise.

Smith already works with Ford in Europe to produce commercial electric vehicles on the Ford Transit and Ford Transit Connect chassis.