Product category:
Batteries, chargers and circuit protection
News Release from: Exide Technologies | Subject: Advanced lead acid gel battery
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 18 November 2004
Lead acid gel battery powers novel "milk
float"
CMP Batteries of Bolton has provided the battery for the Electric Mercury prototype Specialist Delivery Vehicle (SDV).
CMP Batteries of Bolton has provided the battery for the Electric Mercury prototype Specialist Delivery Vehicle (SDV) Orders for vehicles have already been placed by Arla Foods (Express Dairies) and Sheffield City Council and will be delivered in 2006
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 11 Dec 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Charging system goes up a level
Chloride Motive Power has made what it reckons is an exciting new breakthrough in charger room systems.
The E-Mercury vehicle will be available from the new trading company Modec - after its purchase from London Taxis International.
E-Mercury has been designed specifically for urban and inner city use and the maker believes E-Mercury will be the delivery vehicle of the future.
The SDV (commonly referred to as a "milk float") with the Chloride Motive Power battery option incorporated has a governed top speed of 80km/h and a potential range of over 100km.
Further reading
Chargers cater for multiple battery technologies
Chloride Motive Power has launched two new ranges of single-phase battery chargers for small electric vehicles such as cleaning machines and pallet trucks.
Compact charger handles multiple battery types
A new single-phase high-frequency charger is available in a number of varieties to suit either classic "flooded", low maintenance and gel maintenance free batteries.
The vehicle has a versatile 2t payload capacity and a gross vehicle weight, including battery of 5.5t.
Chloride Motive Power's advanced lead acid gel battery incorporates a thermal management system to keep the power pack at its optimum operating temperature.
In summer it keeps the battery cool and on cold winter mornings it will keep the battery warm to ensure maximum battery performance.
It achieves this by means of a sensor that monitors the ambient temperature and then either pumps air-cooled water round it or uses heat from the heat exchanger if it needs to be kept warm.
Today's electric delivery vehicles demand such performance because they now have to travel further and are often required to be working all day.
If required, batteries can be replaced using a fast battery exchange system that will be available at its depot or one of a number of special exchange points that will be developed as part of the operating infrastructure.
The battery powers a sophisticated AC drive system with permanent magnet motor from Azure Dynamics to produce 57kW, 207Nm at 6000rev/min.
Other power options will be available, including a diesel electric hybrid, but Modec believes that the battery version will be particularly popular due to its low running costs, cheap maintenance costs and zero road tax because it is environmentally friendly.
A sophisticated electronic system can set the vehicle's management system to a particular driver's profile.
If, for example, one duty cycle involves multiple stop-start deliveries over a limited area, then the maximum speed of the vehicle can be restricted to 50km/h, which ensures that the draw on the battery is minimised.
However, if just a small number of drops are required, but over a longer distance or larger area, the maximum of 80km/h can be made available, thus ensuring complete flexibility to the user.
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