VIDEO: Smith Electric trucks get pro reviews at Work Truck Show
Smith Electric Vehicles (now in the U.S.!) took advantage of their appearance at The Work Truck Show to allow some industry professionals a chance to try out their all-electric Newton. Luckily for us, several of them agreed to stand up in front of a camera and give their views about the vehicle. The candid three included award-winning trucking industry journalist Paul Abelson, Larry Polas from the American Fleet Managers Buyers Guide and Ken Kalen, a fleet management consultant. All seemed impressed with the vehicle's power as well as the way it handled and thought it could perfectly fulfill its depot-based delivery mission. You can find all of the videos on their newly-launched website or just conveniently hit the jump where we have all three short clips waiting for you as well as a silent video of the Newton rolling about the streets of Chicago and showing off its key fob-controlled cargo space roll-up door.
Gallery: EVS23: Smith Electric Truck
[Source: Smith Electric Vehicles US]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jpm 4:48PM (3/13/2009)
OK, so we got really fast electric sports cars (Tesla, Karma). Here's a big moving truck. We've also seen electric buses coming out. What's missing here folks?? Any other gap to fill?
Reply
paulwesterberg 6:04PM (3/13/2009)
Electrified rails with trains so we can haul freight long distances and stop destroying our interstates with excessive semi truck traffic.
Stan Wellaway 5:13PM (3/13/2009)
Don't worry, jpm. Smith may yet be involved in helping Ford bring an all-electric car to market sooner than other mainstream makers. The Ford Tourneo (passenger version) that was displayed at the Geneva motor show last week, can very quickly be put into production if enough people demand it. Seats 5 as a car, and up to 8 in the stretched long-wheelbase high-roof variant.
But like you say, they ain't in the showrooms just yet.
Reply
Stan Wellaway 7:32PM (3/13/2009)
Paul, this vehicle isn't for interstate use - it's for depot-based local deliveries and suchlike. Intra-city and urban circuits. You can't do street-by-street deliveries with a train.
Reply
Chris M 9:02PM (3/13/2009)
Well, theoretically you could load those "local delivery" trucks on the train, take that train to another city where they could roll off the train andmake deliveries there. Just 2 problems:
1) trains aren't currently set up for that. Cargo containers and bulk freight, yes, carrying loaded trucks, no.
2) there were rules put in place forbidding it. Makes little sense, but thats what happens sometimes with inept legislation. .
Mohan Nair 8:29PM (3/13/2009)
That truck looks like an Avia from Czech Republic which is owned by the Indian truck manufacturer Ashok Leyland .
http://www.avia.cz/en/
Reply
Stan Wellaway 9:09PM (3/13/2009)
Absolutely right, Mohan. Smith buy in the cab/chassis from Avia. As mentioned here on Avia's own website http://www.avia.cz/en/sec/company/environmentalpolicy/electricavia.html
As I understand it, Smith's initial run of Newton trucks assembled in the US will continue to use the Avia cab/chassis. But I imagine they may well look at other alternatives that don't involve such distant shipping.
Reply
EV-1 9:00PM (3/14/2009)
Chris M
Great comment!
Trains really are the most intelligent, human-friendly and eco-friendly infrastructure we can invest in , for all we know.
Have a look at this:
http://www.flexiwaggon.se/engelska/Flexiwaggon.htm
...scroll down for a (RealPlayer) animation. !!
Neat!
There could easily be a developed version for passenger cars, too.
EVs would arrive fully charged! :) And for those really long journeys,
travellers would have the convenience of dining in the buffet car...
Anyhow, trains would be MUCH safer - and substantially faster too.
Bottom line - we have to get rid of coal power plants. And fossil fuel burning vehicles.
Reply
Jays 9:41AM (3/28/2009)
It is very nice to see that even big truck and automotive companies, boom trucks, crane trucks, etc,etc switching over to going Green. Everyone has to play there part and this is a great example of how to do it.
Reply