Electric dreams

And road tests on 40 electric Minis will begin in Oxfordshire in the next six to 18 months.

With all this excitement, you would think electric vehicles had just been invented, but of course they have been around for more than 50 years.

Just ask John Lenehan. At 59, he has spent his whole career working with them and and set up his company, CBL Electric Vehicles in January 1978 along with John Bradley and Alan Carter.

Before that he worked for Crompton Electricars which was the biggest manufacturer of milk floats in the country, dedicating 80 per cent of its production to them.

Milk floats are just one example of electric vehicles which have been built over the years. From its Bampton base, CBL has turned its hand to all sorts of vehicles from trucks to transporters, for major clients such as British Aerospace where they are a necessity for working inside aircraft hangars.

CBL has hit the headlines with its latest model, an electric version of the Nissan Cabstar light truck which has undergone a successful trial with Oxford City Council.

Like the milk float the truck has the advantage of being quiet, emission-free and cheap to run. But in contrast to the image of the slow, low-tech float, the Nissan can travel at speeds of up to 50mph over a range of up to 60 miles on a single charge.

It took 18 months to develop with CBL buying the truck, removing the engine and transmission and replacing them with the specially developed electric power plant and simple gear-free transmission.

Its speed is limited to 20mph to fit in with requirements in the city centre, although it is quicker over a short distance than a conventional truck thanks to the instantaneous power delivery.

Electric power also means braking is reduced and it is virtually silent, creating a less stressful environment for the driver.

It costs about £40,000, about double the price of a conventional Cabstar, but because the motor has so few moving parts, it will last far longer with only the batteries having to be replaced around every seven years. Proof of longevity can be seen with the milk floats, many of which are still in use more than 40 years after first hitting the road.

Also, it costs just £5.50 for a full charge — a fraction of the price of diesel, as well as being much greener.

It is hoped that such vehicles and the spiralling interest in electricity as a source of power will generate more business for CBL which suffered a set back some years ago when local authorities in London decided to outsource their utilities services to private contractors.

That meant no contractor wanted a vehicle which would last more than five years and did not want to invest in the extra expense of electric cars and vans, despite their low running costs and natural longevity.

But the advent of the congestion charge has helped with the excemption of electric vehicles and, with the recent surge of interest, CBL feels it is well placed to benefit.

Electric vehicles have developed significantly in recent years. The batteries on the Nissan are guaranteed for five years and it also uses regenerative braking which means a charge is sent to the battery every time it brakes.

Mr Lenehan has also chosen to use more traditional lead acid batteries rather than the lithium ion variety used on hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius, the electric MIni and rival firms. He claims lead acid has been proved over many years in transport whereas lithium ion versions have developed from batteries used in lap tops and mobile telephones.

“Lithium ion batteries are lighter and produce a better power to weight ration but cost ten times as much and when they run fully flat, take days to recharge. They are also difficult to recycle.”

Sales manager James Vaughan-Fowler added: “We have a group of people who have been in this field for years and know exactly what they are doing.”

CBL has also produced electric motors for trains, especially working in mines and tunnels.

Mr Lenehan said: “If anyone has a special application, we tend to get involved with it.”

The firm also got involved with a power plant for the recreation of a First World War tank and worked on vehicles for the new Johnny Depp film, Wolfman, due out next year.

The reason for this sideline is that electric motors are far safer than traditional combustion engines when they are rolled, crashed or blown up.

So the future looks bright for CBL — the question is can a small firm behind Bampton’s market square cope with a flood of orders?

Mr Lenehan is quietly confident: “We would increase the workforce and grow accordingly,” he said.

Name: CBL Electric Vehicles Established: 1978

Managing director: John Lenehan

Number of staff: Six

Contact: 01993 850714 Web: www.cblelectricvehicles.com