TNT courier company buys two Smith EV trucks for Rotterdam delivery
Two commercial EVs will start rolling in Rotterdam (Netherlands) shortly. Ivo Opstelten, the mayor of the city and president of the City's Climate Initiative, and Peter Baker, president of courier company TNT, have introduced two electric freight vans from Smith Electric Vehicles. The two vans are the first left-hand drive vans Smith EV have ever produced and the first on the Continent.
The two models are the Smith Edison EV (which is based on the Ford Transit van) 3.5 tons and the Smith Newton 9 tons truck. The first is capable of a top speed of up to 50mph, a payload of up to 1338kg (about 3000 lb) and a range on one battery charge of up to 150 miles from its 90 kW (120 HP) motor. The latter is based on an AVIA D-Line regular truck (the base wss not specified but it looks to me like a Mitsubishi Canter), and the specs are quite interesting: 130 miles of range and a payload of 3,400 kg (about 7500 pounds) obtained from a 120 kW (160 HP) electric motor and Zebra Z5 Sodium Nickel Chloride cells. It can be charged either at a regular house electric mains or an industrial 415V three phase.
The two vehicles will contribute to the city plans on reducing a 50 percent of CO2 emissions compared to 1990 levels.
Related:
[Thanks to David for the tip - Link is in dutch]
[Edited: Thanks to Mark for the tip on the company name and to Andy for helping me identifying the base truck]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
detroit9000 7:14PM (8/21/2007)
They might not infringe our lungs, but they certainly seem to infringe a United States Trademark No. 3118777.
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detroit9000 2:22AM (8/22/2007)
Stop the presses. I found that trademark assuming it was registered to Turner Network Television in the United States. Their mark doesn't have three rings, however. It has one ring.
That's what I get for spending 45 seconds on a post.
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Marcel 2:42AM (8/22/2007)
boring reaction about some patent in amerika, it's about time you start making some real "green" patents over there and quit using 60% of the world oil.
apparently the 150 mile maximum range is with a 84 KwH zebra battery pack, = 560 Wh / mile.
that's a lot more economic than diesel,
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rgseidl 3:18AM (8/22/2007)
Light and medium duty commercial vehicles are good candidates for EVs. The businesses can write off the depreciation and operating costs are low. Fleet operators can afford private recharge infrastructure and specialists who know how to mollycoddle the batteries. Modest range is not a significant problem for urban deliveries.
Besides, electric motors deliver lots of low-end torque for low-speed acceleration and, there is enough weight in the vehicles to make recuperative braking worthwhile. The electric motors are also quiet - especially when compared to diesels with minimal NVH mitigation - which reduces driver stress.
For a commercial operator, reductions in emissions and CO2 are mostly icing on the cake, even if they do produce some positive PR. However, in some countries or cities (cp. London) EVs enjoy tax breaks or waived fees, as well.
La Poste in France is also looking to gradually switch its fleet to EVs. Garbage trucks would be another obvious application.
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Domenick 7:22AM (8/22/2007)
How come the Brits get to have both Modec and Smith Electric making electric trucks?
Are American truck manufacturers asleep at the wheel? Why is there not an electric Sprinter? Chrysler!!! Hello!!!! Are you there?
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Xavier Navarro 8:12AM (8/22/2007)
Fixed the post. Now it clearly says it's a courier company.
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andy graanger 8:13AM (8/22/2007)
Hi, The Smiths Newton trucks is based on the AVIA D-Line, built in Prague, Czech Republic by AVIA Ashok Leyland. We supply three variants to Smiths - 7,5t / 9t and 12t gross weights. It's not a Mitsubishi - has proper truck air brakes (Not vacuum hydraulic) and the cab is a full 2,15m (85 ins) wide, so more capacious.
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kert 9:03AM (8/22/2007)
::The electric motors are also quiet - especially when compared to diesels with minimal NVH mitigation - which reduces driver stress.
Not to mention it reduces my stress when i dont hear the dumptrucks at 6 o clock in the morning.
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